The Maids Revitalizes Brand With Added Services, New Look <b></b>

Omaha, Nebraska-Competition, marketplace differentiationand the introduction of a new profit center for franchisees werethe reasons behind re-branding The Maids International, a20-year-old maid service.

"We are in the midst of adding to our regular maid servicewith additional services that focus on time-savings andconvenience," said Dan Bishop, founder and president of TheMaids International. "This was the right time to give our logoa facelift while also incorporating our new method ofbusiness."

The Maids' additional services include carpet cleaning,complete window cleaning, valet dry cleaning and laundry service,and furnace filter change. These additional home services werecreated as a separate business for qualified The Maids'franchisees with minimal investment.

The Maids re-branding will go through three phases: brandresearch, logo redesign, and finally, a national advertisingcampaign.

The Maids conducted the brand research campaign in Birmingham,Alabama; Chicago; Boston; Washington, DC; Los Angeles and Dallas.The survey results indicated that The Maids' yellow car hadmeasurable and significant recognition; further results identifiedfactors important to consumers when selecting a home-cleaningservice.

Based on these results, it was determined that The Maids shouldmodify its brand positioning and test a refined brand identity forappeal. The next step was to try new logo designs through focusgroup research.

The focus groups believed the addition of "homeservices" was an important element of The Maids' identity,citing that it provides valuable definition of what the companydoes. Along with the strength of home services, the modified brandmarries the most recognizable aspects of The Maids-the vacuum"d" and the yellow car-in one succinct package.

After the research was completed and a stronger brand wasidentified, the final step is to put together a highly targetednational media program designed to build brand recognition andsupport local advertising and marketing efforts.

"We are researching various alternatives such as promotionsand strategic alliances to enhance our national advertisingeffort," Bishop said. "Right now we're in theplanning stages, but we have some exciting ideas for marketing inthe future." -The Maids International