Beyond utilities:

FIDO Tech’s strategic brand evolution for corporate water stewardship.

Who we helped

UK scale-up company, FIDO Tech, had had early success with water utilities solving non-revenue water (NRW) challenges using a combination of acoustic sensors and AI. After interest to collaborate with computer giant Microsoft, the company would lead and pioneer a new collaboration model: multinationals partnering and funding a variety of start-up projects, beyond their own operations, to quantify the water saving benefits against broader, water replenishment targets. Leading the way, FIDO wanted to evolve beyond its previous target customers of water utilities without alienating them as the end user, or impacting previous brand equity.

Challenges

Expanding target market from water utilities to corporate water stewardship managers without alienating core utility customers

Developing a new brand identity that maintained connection to the parent company while serving different audiences

Positioning the company for multinational partnerships while preserving existing brand equity

What we did

Our comprehensive approach included:

  1. Brand strategy workshops: Conducted comprehensive sessions with FIDO’s core management team to develop a new brand strategy aligned with corporate water positive and replenishment targets. Through this process, we identified and profiled water stewardship managers as the new primary audience, understanding their unique needs and communication preferences.
  2. Brand development: Created FIDO Plus as a distinct but connected brand, maintaining ties to the established FIDO Tech reputation while serving expanded market needs.
  3. Communication planning: Developed recommended language frameworks and daily tactical execution strategies to build and grow the separate brand identity.

Results

Atlantean helped to announce the first FIDO Plus project, together with Thames Water and Microsoft. Following that, we managed the communication on the next series of FIDO Plus deployments across the US and Mexican markets, securing additional high-profile partnerships with META and The Gap Inc. The strategic brand evolution contributed to FIDO Plus raise in Series B funding, demonstrating how creative brand strategy can help companies successfully expand into new markets while maintaining core customer relationships.

Specific Energy, a US-based firm transforming raw data into actionable insights for water utilities, sought to elevate its market presence and evolve their image from water industry stalwart to a dynamic, forward-thinking innovator.

Elizabeth Hayes

COO, Specific Energy