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Strategy, Corporate Branding and Multichannel Campaign for Steinbach & Vollmann

BrandingCorporate DesignCommunication StrategyAdvertising Campaign

For more than 140 years, Steinbach & Vollmann GmbH (STUV) has stood for quality and technological innovation in access security. With intelligent locking solutions, the company makes a key contribution to protecting critical infrastructure. Our task: to make this expertise visible and effective in the KRITIS market through a multichannel campaign.
Overview of the campaign framework of illustrations, icons and texts on the topic of KRITIS-DG in the STUV corporate design.

Market launch of a high-security lock

PYLOCX® is a highly secure, battery-free access solution for operators of critical infrastructure, developed for applications with the highest requirements for availability, data protection and tamper resistance. The system also works reliably during power or network outages and enables secure access to sensitive infrastructure such as waterworks, energy facilities or logistics sites. Our task: to translate this technological and regulatory complexity into clear, understandable and engaging brand and campaign communication.

Several smartphone screens showing social media ads and creatives for the KRITIS-DG campaign by STUV.
Technician in high-visibility clothing operating an electronic locking system at a well shaft outdoors.
Person in work clothes holding a smartphone with a social media ad for a webinar by an industrial company.

A convincing multichannel campaign

A continuous campaign framework is created that conveys a consistent message, a stringent visual line and a uniform tone across all channels. The clearly defined thematic architecture not only provides external orientation for the target group but also strengthens the sales team's lines of argument internally.

Through a topic-focused landing page, an in-depth live webinar with an interactive Q&A session and a detailed whitepaper, the legal requirements were explained clearly and practical options for action were offered.

Laptop showing the landing page of an industrial company with information about a webinar on the KRITIS umbrella act.

The result: over 500 highly qualified leads

With a product that needs explaining in a specialised B2B market, our campaign strategy reaches around 9% of the entire German water supplier market and generates over 500 highly qualified leads. Through a consistent focus on the real challenges of the target group and measures with genuine added value, STUV positions itself as a relevant solution provider and can place its products in a targeted and convincing way.
Aerial view of a modern waterworks with several circular clarifiers and adjoining buildings.

Distinctive campaign visuals

For the campaign, we are developing a distinctive world of illustration that attracts targeted attention, particularly in social media, and stands out clearly from the competition with its reduced, clear visual language. The visual system has a modular structure, can be extended flexibly by topic and is ideal for animated formats, from short social clips to explanatory motion sequences.
Illustration of wind turbines, a radio mast and water basins depicting critical infrastructure.

In parallel, we deliberately take a data-driven approach: classic photographic motifs are tested directly against the world of illustration. In iterative optimisation loops, we analysed performance, interaction and lead generation in order to assess on a sound basis which visual strategy has the greatest impact.

Animated campaign content visually conveys the brand message and services of STUV.
Red envelope printed with "Wichtige Mitteilung zur Gesetzeslage KRITIS-DG" (Important notice on the legal situation regarding KRITIS-DG) in the STUV corporate design.
Man sitting at a desk reading an official letter in a modern office.
Opened brochure with product information, application examples and design elements in the STUV corporate design.

Complementing the whitepaper as a lead magnet, a comprehensive product brochure is created that presents technological advantages and specific application scenarios in a structured way. A targeted print mailing flanks the digital campaign: both as a personal invitation to the webinar and as a classic cover letter with relevant updates on the current legal situation.

An interactive online test also allows KRITIS operators to check which regulatory requirements apply to them specifically. In this way, STUV consistently positions itself as the competent first point of contact for the new KRITIS umbrella act, from classification to practical solution.

Person holding a smartphone with a digital self-test for assessing critical infrastructure sites.
Several stacked whitepapers titled "KRITIS-Dachgesetz: Was Betreiber wissen müssen" (KRITIS Umbrella Act: What Operators Need to Know) with an illustrative infrastructure graphic on the cover.
„The campaign shows how powerfully strategic clarity, creative quality and consistent execution can work together. We succeeded in addressing a specialised target group in a targeted way with the right measures.“
Pierre Kellin, Marketing Director STUV
Video showing a radio tower far from civilisation in a mountain region.
Person in a red weatherproof jacket with the STUV logo standing in the rain in front of a mountainous landscape.

Making security tangible in real use

For the new product imagery, we devise a guideline that puts the target groups and their specific areas of application at the centre. Together with STUV, we develop an authentic reportage style that conveys closeness and credibility and consistently shows the product in real use. We supported the photo shoot (photography: Jan Hosan) and the video shoot (videography: erdmann & erdmann medien GmbH) both strategically and operationally to ensure that the visual language, perspective and staging convey the product's practical benefits convincingly.
Video showing various application scenes of the PYLOCX product across different industries
Employee in protective clothing secures a container with a padlock and checks the lock.
A firefighter in protective clothing operates a secured technical system on duty.

Convincing in personal dialogue

Numerous international trade fairs offer the ideal platform for presenting STUV's novel product to a specialised professional audience and promoting direct dialogue with potential customers. These fairs serve not only as a showcase for innovative solutions but also as an opportunity to address target groups from industry in person and respond to their specific requirements.
Two men talking at a trade fair stand of an industrial company with exhibited products and branding elements.

A sales-strong PowerPoint presentation

To convey the complex functions and diverse benefits in an understandable and convincing way, we develop tailor-made presentation slides for direct customer dialogue. This enables the sales team to communicate even content that needs explaining in a structured, clear and benefit-oriented way.
Video showing a presentation of product application examples in the field of high-security locks.
„Since the campaign started, we have won numerous new leads – so many that our sales team has its hands full following up on the qualified contacts.“
Phillip Schickenberg, Director Sales STUV

Sharpening the corporate design

In parallel with the ongoing campaign, we are systematically sharpening the STUV brand and specifying the application rules of the corporate design. All design principles, imagery, typography and tone-of-voice guidelines are documented and defined in a binding, comprehensive style guide.

In addition, we are developing a modular brochure concept that enables STUV employees to create communication materials independently and in line with the brand, for example a PYLOCX® product brochure. This creates not only campaign impact externally but also lasting brand and implementation confidence within the company.

Overview of several double-page spreads of a brand book with design guidelines, colours, typography and imagery.

Security as a central guiding theme

STUV stands for holistic security solutions far beyond the PYLOCX® product. Security is part of its heritage, its technological expertise and its brand identity. This is expressed in the new claim “The top of security.”

As part of the brand evolution, we are also redesigning the heritage seal and sharpening its message around origin, quality and “Made in Germany”. 

 

Black-and-white photograph of a mountain peak with a transmission mast and the lettering "The top of security." in the foreground.
Logo and quality seal reading "Security made in Germany 1883" in the STUV corporate design.
For all general topics and enquiries, please feel free to contact Christian Malling.

We look forward to an initial, no-obligation conversation with you

Christian Malling
Senior Project Manager