Castrol rebrand coincides with dramatic change across the auto industry

Includes a refreshed logo, updated product packaging and a service-led focus

Castrol rebrand coincides with dramatic change across the auto industry

Castrol has become one of the world’s most famous lubricant brands. Ever since its formation by Charles Wakefield in 1899, the brand has been synonymous with premium quality, high performance and cutting-edge lubricants.

From its early days of working with pioneering aviators and motorists as aircraft, motorcycles and motorcars developed, to its close cooperation today with car manufacturers and motorsport teams, Castrol continues to develop the world’s most advanced engine oils and fluids that are trusted the world over.

Today, Castrol supplies its lubricants to brands including Ford, Jaguar Land Rover and Renault, while in the world of competition, it develops bespoke oil formulations for the likes of the BWT Alpine F1 Team, the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team and Jaguar TCS Racing in Formula E.

With over 120 years of advanced oils and lubricants development, customers continue to put their faith in a brand that is the preferred oil supplier to some of the world’s most respected car manufacturers.

While this success and the strong reputation Castrol has in the public consciousness is considerable, the automotive industry is witnessing dramatic change. With environmental factors being one of the greatest global hurdles to overcome, car manufacturers are gradually moving away from internal combustion and towards greater electrification as a way of lowering emissions.

Legislation is also tightening, with the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles due to be banned by 2035 in many European markets, including the UK. The widespread switch from ICE cars to electric vehicles (EVs) marks the greatest change the industry faces.

As society continues with this shift towards electrification, Castrol has been busy developing and formulating cutting-edge fluids for EVs, notably with a new range of Castrol ON products. These include EV transmission fluids that deliver enhanced protection of the drivetrain while aiding efficiency, EV thermal fluids that help keep batteries cooler to enable ultra-fast charging even in extreme conditions, and EV greases that play a vital role in maintaining optimum efficiency while extending the life of vehicle components.

With the UK car parc currently consisting of approximately 40.7 million vehicles, there remains strong demand for oils and lubricants from distributors, workshops and end users, even as the EV market continues to rise. Castrol continues to invest in the development of lubricants for ICE vehicles, which will continue to make up a significant proportion of the European car parc for many years, as well as fluids designed specifically for EVs.

Castrol rebrand symbolises change

With such widespread change taking place within the automotive industry and wider society, Castrol has recently refreshed its brand identity following a comprehensive brand strategy process, which included extensive research, analysis, and input from stakeholders, customers and industry experts.

This brand refresh is aimed at better reflecting Castrol’s unique positioning in the market and the opportunities it sees in meeting the changing needs of customers. This goes far beyond being a lubricant supplier; it also includes workshop service offers, as well as the work it does with OEMs and within other industries. For instance, Castrol’s immersion cooling fluids are increasingly being used by the IT sector in data centres.

Along with an updated logo that features a more modern, dynamic, and vibrant design featuring Castrol’s iconic red, green and white colours, the new brand identity brings refreshed labelling across Castrol’s core product range. A simplified design has been created to make it easier for customers to view viscosities and other key pieces of information. While evolving such an iconic brand identity is a challenge, the company is confident its new approach will help it engage with a multitude of external audiences.

Castrol’s rebrand is more than just its new logo. The company also unveiled new designs for its range of top-up lubricant bottles in Europe, which use up to 20 percent less plastic in the case of its popular five-litre bottle. The new bottles were introduced in several of Castrol’s key international markets, including China and India in 2019, resulting in it using 4,000 tonnes less plastic when compared to the previous small bottle designs. In Europe, the new bottles are expected to save around 1,000 tonnes of plastic per annum compared to the previous small bottle designs and aggregated across the full bottle range. 

These changes fall in line with Castrol’s sustainability strategy, PATH360, which was created to focus the company’s efforts on reducing carbon, saving waste, and improving people’s lives. Castrol’s overall aim is to become net zero by 2050 or sooner.

Service-centric business

Castrol is using its rebrand to double-down on its aim to become a greater service-centric business; not one that relies solely on selling products. The Castrol Service network is a prime example of this strategy in action and is proving to be a great success in the UK. More than 6,000 Castrol Service workshops are now in operation across Europe, and it’s a number that’s constantly growing.

Participating workshops receive a comprehensive range of benefits including a Castrol engine warranty when Castrol oil is used in customers’ vehicles, branded technician clothing, along with marketing support and training, all designed to facilitate an increase in and retention of customers. 

Castrol is continuing to improve the Castrol Service workshop offering to accelerate the scheme’s growth. It introduced the ability for workshops to obtain independent certification by TÜV Rheinland, a global leader in third-party testing and certification. This certification scheme has been designed to help businesses optimise operational standards and further build customer trust. 

Earlier this year, Castrol also launched its Technical Support Service to ensure workshop personnel have a dedicated team of specialists on hand to provide technical guidance and recommendations on suitable lubricants. Offered in partnership with Teleperformance, it utilises AI technology to provide a multi-language capability, enabling users to contact the technical support team in their native language from anywhere in the world.

The Castrol Learning Campus is another service-led offering. The digital learning platform for workshops and distributors features a range of modules suitable for staff in different departments, from service advisers to workshop technicians. It’s been designed to sharpen skills, enable staff to connect with their peers, elevate career prospects, and enhance business performance.

Modules include technical tutorials for technicians and workshop managers, to video sessions for sales agents and front-of-house staff to help improve customer service and facilitate upselling. The interactive content enables users to learn at their own pace, at a time and a place that’s convenient for them, while fresh content ensures learning material is always up to date.

While the automotive industry continues its transformation, Castrol is once again evolving its business to remain at the forefront of minds, offering both products and services that benefit those in the automotive industry and beyond.

Have your say!

0 0

Lost Password

Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.