Astron Energy has revealed its new brand identity, offering a ‘sneak peek’ into what its network of Caltex service stations will look like when over 850 retail sites are rebranded to Astron Energy.
The unveiling of Astron Energy’s new logo, corporate colours, as well as the design of its forecourts, is another important step in the company’s strategy of becoming South Africa’s next biggest fuel brand.
The second largest petroleum network in the country, Astron Energy has over 850 Caltex-branded service stations locally and in Botswana which will be rebranded in the new corporate colours in a phased manner of the next few years.
“The rebrand is a milestone moment for us on our journey to reimagine and reinvent ourselves. We have been a trusted player in fuels for over a century. We are looking forward to stepping confidently into the future and welcoming all our customers to our exciting new-look forecourts and experiences”, commented Astron Energy Interim CEO, Braam Smit.
The brand’s bold new colours were chosen to allow Astron Energy to stand out in a largely undifferentiated market and the rebrand is one of the most significant and largest logistical undertakings of 850 plus retail sites, the Cape Town refinery, the lubricants manufacturing plant in Durban, 15 terminals, 180 commercial and industrial sites, as well as corporate facilities.
“Astron Energy is the future of fuel and the rebrand creates the ideal platform to enhance our service offering through innovations and exciting products which are designed to speak to an ever-changing consumer landscape,” Smit added.
The brand change will also see service stations place careful emphasis on the basics, including bathroom facilities and lighting, as part of rejuvenating the overall customer experience.
Astron Energy General Manager: Marketing, Cambridge Mokanyane, said: “The rebrand provides the platform to build out the customer experience even further and to build on the success of the latest Ask Afrika Orange Index win. We have put an enormous amount of work and imagination into our fuel and non-fuel retail offerings and look forward to launching future products and innovations into this fresh, energised and vibrant space”.
“We aim to be the brand that matches the pace of people’s lives, while allowing them to recharge and refresh in modern and welcoming service hub environments. Our brand’s positioning is that Astron Energy will give you the energy to make the most of every day”.
“Our customer is always front and centre in our thinking. We believe the new look and feel of our forecourts will provide added appeal to our loyal customer base and hold great attraction for those who do not yet have a favourite fuel brand,” Mokanyane added.
“A significant change to our motoring or fuel landscape comes around once every few decades and this is really something to be excited about as we look forward to the first forecourt rebrand in the new year,” Mokanyane said. “Our country has been through tremendous challenges as a result of the pandemic and a struggling economy, so it will be wonderful to go into 2022 with a sense of freshness and revitalisation”.
“Our new colours and design were carefully chosen to represent our rich new corporate identity which is fueled by progress and inspired by the potential in all of us. Colours that are distinctive and non-traditional for the fuel sector, and a logo that is uniquely identifiable were key criteria during the brand development process.”
In August, the company announced that Astron Energy would become the overarching brand across corporate, commercial, and retail, and will be the public face at all forecourts and other key sites.
The name change and rebrand follows the 2018 change of ownership of Astron Energy and its exit from the Chevron group of companies. Since then, Astron Energy has been operating the Caltex brand under a license agreement. The new corporate brand identity now sees all operations consolidated under a single, unifying brand
“We will continue to offer customers high performance fuels, quality products and great service delivered by excellent people, as well as exciting new offerings and experiences as part of our new look. We’re looking forward to the rebrand and the enormous potential it holds”, Smit concluded.
