How We Rebranded Octopus Plumbing

Most plumbing brands look the same. Blue, water drops, maybe a friendly cartoon plumber. When Octopus Plumbing approached us about a complete brand overhaul, the brief was simple: break from the category clichés.

The brief

The client wanted to compete on more than just price. They needed an identity that said "we're different" before they ever picked up the phone. Their goal was to win commercial contracts, not just residential calls.

"We don't want to look like every other plumber. We want to look like the one that does it right."

That single quote shaped everything. We started from there.

The research phase

Before sketching a single mark, we spent two weeks studying the competitive landscape. We collected logos from 50+ plumbing companies across three countries. The patterns were obvious:

• 80% used blue or blue-and-white
• 60% had a water drop element
• 45% used a cartoon mascot
• Almost none felt premium or commercial

That gap was our opportunity.

What we shipped

Three core decisions defined the new identity:

1. Color: Navy and signal red instead of plumbing blue. The red anchors the brand to safety and emergency response — more useful for a commercial plumber than friendliness.
2. Mark: A stylized octopus gripping a pipe wrench. Memorable, ownable, and metaphorically right (multiple arms, multiple specialties).
3. Typography: A condensed sans-serif wordmark. Reads as industrial, professional, decisive.

What we'd do differently

Honest reflection: we spent too long on the mark itself and not enough on the application system. The first version of the brand guidelines didn't include enough examples of the logo on uniforms, vehicles, and invoices — the places where the brand actually lives day-to-day.

For our next identity project, we're going to start with the application examples first and work backward to the mark.

Want a rebrand that breaks from category clichés? Get in touch and let's talk.