ARA Unveils New Brand Identity, Re-Names Annual Trade Show
The American Rental Association is unveiling a new brand identity to reflect what it said is the evolution of the equipment and event rental industry. The move is part of an extensive branding initiative designed to carry the association forward to better serve its members and represent a community of equipment and event rental professionals, including re-naming the annual trade show “The ARA Show.”
“In order to effectively support this ever-changing and growing industry, we knew we needed to modernize our brand and our communications,” said ARA CEO Tony Conant. “As more second-, third-, and fourth generation owners get involved and the large national companies expand, it was necessary for us to evaluate the association’s role and determine how we can best support the industry. This is one step toward enhancing our relevance and value to all who are part of this unique rental community.”
In 2017, the ARA board of directors approved the formation of the ARA Brand Committee to guide the association through a rebranding process. Committee members represented three segments of the equipment and event rental industry. The goal was to create a cohesive family of brand marks that would work and read well in all facets of communications, representing the entire rental industry.
The rebranding process also led to a new positioning statement for the association: “Advancing the equipment and event rental community.”
“Our previous identity recognized the members who specialize in equipment rental, but it didn’t specifically speak to those in the party and event segment,” Conant added. “Furthermore, the term ‘community’ is an accurate reflection of who we are as rental professionals and how we operate, like a community of helpful, like-minded people.”
All facets of the association’s identity were evaluated during the rebranding process. Updates include new logos for ARA insurance, ARA Foundation, Rental Management, and the industry’s annual trade show and convention. The research determined ‘The Rental Show’ did not have brand equity and that ARA members didn’t feel that the show was closely aligned with the association. Effective with the rebrand, the new name and accompanying logo for the show has changed to The ARA Show.
The new ARA brand mark reflects a modern and approachable look in terms of color, typeface and design while paying homage to the previous logo.
“We’re focused on continuing the development of the association with a brand update that builds on our rich history of being a unique platform where rental professionals can learn, share ideas and give back to our industry,” Conant added.
About the Author
Michael Roth
Editor
Michael Roth has covered the equipment rental industry full time for RER since 1989 and has served as the magazine’s editor in chief since 1994. He has nearly 30 years experience as a professional journalist. Roth has visited hundreds of rental centers and industry manufacturers, written hundreds of feature stories for RER and thousands of news stories for the magazine and its electronic newsletter RER Reports. Roth has interviewed leading executives for most of the industry’s largest rental companies and manufacturers as well as hundreds of smaller independent companies. He has visited with and reported on rental companies and manufacturers in Europe, Central America and Asia as well as Mexico, Canada and the United States. Roth was co-founder of RER Reports, the industry’s first weekly newsletter, which began as a fax newsletter in 1996, and later became an online newsletter. Roth has spoken at conventions sponsored by the American Rental Association, Associated Equipment Distributors, California Rental Association and other industry events and has spoken before industry groups in several countries. He lives and works in Los Angeles when he’s not traveling to cover industry events.