Wm. J Mills & Co.

Wm. J. Mills & Co., a 6th generation Awning and Marine Custom Canvas Provider had plateaued, become somewhat stagnant and was in need of a reinvigorated and reimagined direction and voice, while remaining true to it’s deep century-plus heritage. In addition, with the ending of a 60-year relationship with Boston Whaler, Mills needed to raise its visibility and increase its customer base in an increasingly competitive - and changing - market spanning The Hamptons and The North Fork of Long Island.

At the start of our initial work, Mills was already a 130+ Year Old Company With that type of equity, we knew from the start that this was more brand evolution and repositioning than full rebrand.

Initial Discovery was something akin to an archaeological dig. Literally. We dug through old sail lofts and through boxes of photographs, ledgers and materials from the first half of the 20th Century right through ‘til the 21st. During this fascinating process, we identified the overlooked value in forgotten canvas bag offerings; saw the true depth of craftsmanship in a company that still did everything on-site, with nothing outsourced whether that be creating full-size sails, bespoke awnings or even cushions and covers and - perhaps most importantly - gained an understanding of the culture and passion that drove the company.

At the end of the day, they just needed the story they’d been living for generations told in a way that truly captured what they do, who they were and what they truly offer.

Evolving and refining Mills’ brand and reintroducing the company to an audience that in many ways was aware of them, but did not actually have a sense of the depth and breadth of their offerings was a multipart process using the following components:

Logo/Identity: The company never had a formal logo, but instead had taken a practical, as-needed approach over the years, which left it without a singular mark. What was consistently identifiable, however, was their distinctive hand-sewn tag that was typically placed on every item that came from the Mills workshop. Working from that, after many iterations and potential interpretations, one particular photograph that I affectionately call the “Rita Hayworth Shot” of the logo truly captured the essence of the brand and became the ‘logo’ that we then applied to all facets from fleet to advertising to web to uniforms brand-wide.

Tagline: Again, getting to the heart of the company, we developed the deceptively simple yet incredibly effective “Everything Canvas™” tagline. Sometimes conveying the complex requires simplicity, and the trademark has made it’s way into all messaging.

Brand Advertising: Reflective of the brand and the need to create a persistent, positive presence and narrative, the advertising is understated, never solicitous, and always conveys a tradition of confident craftsmanship.
Radio: I wrote and produced a number of radio scripts designed to bring life to tradition, and warmth to manufacturing, and was fortunate to partner with the remarkable Tom Spackman as the voice of Mills. These brand-forward evergreen spots are instantly recognizable and have worked incredibly well in the East End market and beyond.

Mills Canvas Bags: Originally created as a way to make use of leftover canvas from larger projects, we identified the overlooked value of these right from our initial meeting with ownership. We brought them forward into the light, tightening the lines and styles, creating heritage ‘bag tags’ featuring colorized mebers of the Mills’ family from earlier generations, and even created a showroom space on site to showcase these and similar custom canvas products. We received notice in many high-profile national publications, as well as notice on television and across the web, and I personally helped open up and negotiate with markets in Japan and Europe to extend their reach.

Additional Print and Collateral: Created a true-to-brand voice, look and feel across all collateral, print and digital advertising and related communications.

Now in its 6th Generation, the company has expanded both its marketshare and geographic reach, servicing clients all along the East Coast of the United States. We continue to work with Mills, helping it take advantage of new opportunities, managing its brand narrative and advertising presence, and actively consulting on strategy and opportunity as it continues to grow and evolve.