How to fuel an innovationin concept: The NRL thrust A Case study.

In the realm of petro-retailing, launching a small refining company from a remote up-country location to the mainstream of marketing amongst existing giants like IOC, BPCL, HPCL, IBP, Reliance, Essar, Shell, ONGC, etc. means an everyday fear of facing extinction in a market dominated by established players. This is how Numaligarh Refineries Limited (NRL) is attempting to cross the divide...

The in-road challenge was mainly to capture the mindshare and create high recall branding of NRL in the minds of the customers. The composite marketing strategy of NRL was to project it as dynamic and sensitive to changing user expectations. Conceived, designed and developed by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd., the result creates a dramatically different petro retail outlet from existing formats, through innovative amenities, indigenous ingenuity and world-class service.

Having entered the retail sector in 2006, the company will end up with 35 outlets in Assam this year. Plans are afoot to have 125 outlets in the state in the next two years. Also, 102 locations have been identified in West Bengal, Sikkim, Bihar , Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa for setting up retail outlets. The action plan includes the set up 510 retail outlets spread over eastern and parts of northern and southern region of India .

At first glance, an NRL outlet's aero-foil shaped horned canopy with an aesthetically curved inner structure, tapered columns, monolith and other signages creates an inviting atmosphere. And, depicts stark digressions from contemporary conventional retail outlets visible in the country, thereby branding the retail station as an “Energy Station” connoting a future looking organisation with future fuels/ energy in mind.

Value-added services prefixed “Quick” such as Quick Shoppe, Quick Service, Quick Bank, Quick Call, Quick surf, Quick Lube, Quick Bite etc. depict prompt and efficient services.

With the aim of attracting customers and assuring them of the experience of a quick and pleasurable fuelling stop, high quality service and to create awareness on quality, quantity and safety, several unique sales proposals (USPs) as mentioned below are visible at the NRL Energy Station:

Design/ Engineering elements at the NRL Energy Station
Highly distinct and differentiated design

NRL retail outlets were conceived and created with starkly distinct and differentiated design from any other petroleum retail outlet in the country. This brings to NRL a high level of brand recall and advertises itself to lure customers. The stations are planned as a self sustaining revenue earning resources besides sale of fuel and other value-added services through the avenues of advertising. NRL is not advertised as a brand but the composite plan at the Energy station advertises itself to lure customers.

Aerofoil shaped canopy

To break monotony, the canopy was designed as a cantilevered one with an aerofoil shaped roofing. Unlike the conventional canopies, which are given backlit fascias, the canopy was not backlit. In fact, the canopy signages at the front and sides were well lit.

Besides this, the horn structures (representing the horn of the hippo – the beast of the North East) at the top of the canopy were lit to attract customers from a distance.

Compound Wall

The compound wall, which otherwise was conventionally used only for site security purposes, was also made a brand element in NRL with colour railings matching the NRL theme. The street lamp posts are coloured in the same theme and placed to match the other elements, thereby lending uniformity to the ambience.