Creating the game, instead of changing it
A Trefecta case story
In 1933 Edward Chamberlin introduced the concept of differentiation in his major work ‘The Theory of Monopolistic Competition’. For any brand since then, being different became the golden hill. Lengthy workshops, sessions and research were devoted around the world to find those holy three letters: USP. Over time, some brands just decided to state the fact that they’re different. Apple advised us to follow Einstein’s footsteps and think different, Levi’s told us to be like the singular black sheep and ‘zag’ and Mercedes promised us that they were ‘like no other’.
Whatever example you pick, you can’t escape the fact that they’re always a comparison to someone or something else. Being different always implies a relationship to another competing product or service. The category is taken as the catwalk and brands appear in line to be the most unique. But what if you could elevate above that? Hover above the catwalk? What if, instead of changing the game, you can create one for yourself?
Achieving perfection
It was these kind of thoughts that sprang to mind, when Haiko Visser first began to consider creating a new sort of electric vehicle. An e-bike you might say. He would strongly disagree. The only way for him to differentiate and create the product of tomorrow, was to start with a clean sheet. Each body part, each engineering decision and each centimeter of product design was directed towards achieving perfection. A hunt for unsurpassed excellence to create a new category vehicle. The result became the leading high-performance electric two-wheeler in the world.
The complete freedom of a blank canvas
When Haiko approached Sinc and our partners at BEGIN, we were faced with a similar challenge for the brand as the engineers had for the product: start from scratch, elevate above the category in everything we do and ooze perfection in each decision. Creating the non-existent required us to start by accepting the complete freedom of a blank canvas. That led us to a journey for perfection. What is that exactly? And how can it work for this product? As we found out, perfection always comes in threes. It is this divine trinity that we call: Trefecta. A combination of power, function and design that sets the new standard in e-mobility. A brand that was situated in a world of its own. A brand for the rough off-road rider as well as the sophisticated urban commuter.
Something bigger
Claiming perfection as a brand naturally creates expectations. The Trefecta brands was therefore build with the highest quality requirements imaginable. This trickled down from strategy to positioning, to all branding, design, PR and communication execution.
Prime example and home base became the website, offering potential buyers the unique opportunity to explore the bike down to it’s very last detail in a digital experience. In the end, Trefecta gained a solid and unique position amongst prestigious brands around the world. The BBC said that Trefecta ‘aimed to redefine the category’. You now know we were actually aiming for something bigger.
Do you want to know more about this project? Talk to our strategist Jens!
For even more on this incredible project, just scroll down!
For your extra viewing pleasure. We’ve made a nice series on the development of Trefecta, watch them in the video’s below.
Would you like to know more about this project? Ask our strategist Jens!
