Midwest Convenience Store Chain Casey's Unveils a Modern Look

Casey’s General Stores, a Midwest convenience store chain with a cult following for its pizza and donuts, unveiled a new visual identity that modernizes its look and feel. “From our stores to our menu to our digital experience, Casey’s is delighting our guests in new and exciting ways,” said Chris Jones, the retailer's CMO, in a statement. “Our new logo takes this a step further by reflecting who we are and what we stand for in a simple, more modern way that’s recognizable and familiar to all our guests." The biggest change is a shortening of its name to simply Casey’s, dropping the 'General Stores,' which the chain felt was getting a little too old-fashioned. With that, the logo is also getting an overhaul to a more simplified outline of a barn with a weathervane and the same white lettering against a red background. The physical stores, which comprise the the fifth largest pizza chain and fourth largest convenience store retailer in the U.S., will also get a facelift with a refreshed banner. Like the logo, the banner retains the company’s red barn background with Casey’s in the foreground appearing in white lettering. The previous signage contained seven colors and barn roof shingles. Casey's tapped creative agency Interbrand to lead the design effort. Jones credited the firm for taking the time to jet from New York and spend time at a number of small-town locations in order to create a compelling new identity. By retaining the barn while streamlining the image itself, the new logo continues to evoke the chain’s small-town, rural roots while heralding the introduction of new products and services such as a breakfast bowl that the company is planning on launching, Jones told Adweek. He said putting in place the exterior signage at all of its stores will be a multiyear effort, while the digital assets and in-store signage will be updated this October. Casey’s, which generates some $9 billion a year in sales, also recently updated its tagline to “Here For Good” from “Famous For Pizza” to emphasize its broader offerings. For a number of small towns, the chain tends to be the only pizzeria, donut shop and sandwich shop in the area, Jones said, in addition to selling products you’d find in a typical convenience store and fuel. The rebranding accompanies and reflects new services such as a loyalty program, Casey's Rewards, and curbside pickup, both of which were introduced earlier this year. The first-ever loyalty program, which was launched in January, attracted 2.3 million new members during the first six months. Curbside, meanwhile, was offered as of early September (while the mobile app was made available last year). Deloitte Digital helped craft the new experiences. While the company believed its visual identity was falling further and further behind the level of service it offered, Casey’s found that 40% of its guests also felt that the look of the stores was outdated, said Jones. He added the convenience store chain also confirmed via research that the new look would not turn off existing customers. Casey’s will continue to expand its presence across the Midwest, aiming to open 345 locations between this year and 2022, Jones said. Today the company, which was founded more than 50 years ago, operates over 2,200 locations in 16 states.