Published in Security Distributing & Marketing magazine
"Harmonization" At Work:
Philips/Burle Product Lines Becoming One
Philips/Burle Product Lines Becoming One
(Lancaster, PA) --- If you haven't already, you'll soon notice a new look from Philips Communication & Security Systems, as this worldwide supplier of security products blends its lines with those of its North American division, formerly BURLE Industries, which it acquired in May 1995.
In what Philips employees refer to as the "harmonization process," product color schemes and model numbering systems are being changed and unified to create a "contemporary, recognizable identity for Philips products and systems."
Netherlands-based Philips CSS began the process shortly after the acquisition through a carefully staged phase-out of the BURLE brand. The issue was: how to replace the BURLE name, so strong in the North American market, with the Philips name, better known in the security markets of Europe and Asia, while capitalizing on Philips' image as the global name behind such big consumer electronics companies as Magnavox and Norelco?
"Our approach started to take shape by the end of 1995," recalls John Villella, manager of video product marketing in North America for Philips CSS. "For 1996, we created a tagline of 'BURLE, Part of the Philips Family.' That introduced the Philips name but still kept the BURLE name visible and prominent.
"Then in 1997 we started to make the Philips name more prominent and the BURLE name less prominent by saying 'Philips, the Home of BURLE Security Products' as a tagline on our promotional materials. At the same time, we introduced the new corporate tagline of 'Philips .. Let's Make Things Better' which is now showing up in TV ads in this country for Philips' consumer products. By the end of 1998, the BURLE brand of security products will be eliminated entirely."
New Color Scheme
Another important ingredient in the harmonization was the creation of a new color scheme that would "develop an overall visual identity" for Philips CSS products and systems. Effective January 1997, all new products, whether introduced by the Holland supply center or by U.S. supply centers, would take on the new cosmetics. The familiar black-and-plum motif of BURLE security consoles and the mushroom gray look of the Philips line would give way to "charcoal black with gray" colors. For example, a security console keyboard now has a black frame while the artwork and keypads are colored gray.
"The goal in 1998," adds Lancaster, PA-based Villella, "is to have all existing products that we intend to continue making in 1999 converted to the new color scheme." For instance, the company's flagship switching equipment, the AllegiantR system, will be produced in the new look sometime in April 1998. Eventually, all Philips CSSI products, regardless of where they're manufactured, will have this color design.
The third aspect to harmonization is a unification of the model numbering system. Under BURLE, products had a three- or four-digit number prefixed by "TC" which stood for "Television Camera" . . . a throwback to the time prior to 1987 when RCA was the manufacturer. The Philips Eindhoven line prefixed their model numbers with "LDH". In a sort of compromise, the prefix now becomes "LTC."
It was at the American Society of Industrial Security conference in September 1997 that security dealers first got a hint of the Philips harmonization process. "That was the first trade show where we came out as more representative of Philips," notes Villella. "What we were trying to do was convey to our North American customer base that only the name was changing, the same people were in place as before and that, in fact, you could expect better things to come because we were now part of the Philips organization."
At the International Security Conference in Las Vegas in March 1998, the Philips CSS exhibit will be totally harmonized. Every product on display will be in the new color scheme, with the message to dealers being: "BURLE is now Philips, and we're a much stronger organization for that fact!"
Says Villella: "We want to show dealers that we can now provide a much broader product portfolio and services."
Tapping Into New Technologies
He sees new product development as one area that has already benefited by the Philips-BURLE combination. "Our U.S. design development groups can tap into Philips' high technology and advanced research organizations and work with them on new technologies that will find their way into the products of the future."
As an example, Villella points to recently introduced models of surveillance cameras that are more compact yet offer performance advantages. New technology driven by the aggressive market for personal computers is showing up in security products. "In the past, because it was hardware-oriented," Villella adds, "a camera design could survive for four or five years or longer. But today, with the miniaturization of components and software-based features, you can get smaller camera designs that may only last two years before you're into the next generation.
"Being part of the Philips family enables us to stay in the technical lead in product development."
The harmonization process is also meant to make an impression on the end-user. A single look to a variety of components signifies a system . . . . as in one manufacturer, one technical support center. "Even the smaller business that buys one or two cameras, a monitor and maybe a time-lapse recorder reaches a certain comfort level when the same brand is on everything," adds Villella.
In what Philips employees refer to as the "harmonization process," product color schemes and model numbering systems are being changed and unified to create a "contemporary, recognizable identity for Philips products and systems."
Netherlands-based Philips CSS began the process shortly after the acquisition through a carefully staged phase-out of the BURLE brand. The issue was: how to replace the BURLE name, so strong in the North American market, with the Philips name, better known in the security markets of Europe and Asia, while capitalizing on Philips' image as the global name behind such big consumer electronics companies as Magnavox and Norelco?
"Our approach started to take shape by the end of 1995," recalls John Villella, manager of video product marketing in North America for Philips CSS. "For 1996, we created a tagline of 'BURLE, Part of the Philips Family.' That introduced the Philips name but still kept the BURLE name visible and prominent.
"Then in 1997 we started to make the Philips name more prominent and the BURLE name less prominent by saying 'Philips, the Home of BURLE Security Products' as a tagline on our promotional materials. At the same time, we introduced the new corporate tagline of 'Philips .. Let's Make Things Better' which is now showing up in TV ads in this country for Philips' consumer products. By the end of 1998, the BURLE brand of security products will be eliminated entirely."
New Color Scheme
Another important ingredient in the harmonization was the creation of a new color scheme that would "develop an overall visual identity" for Philips CSS products and systems. Effective January 1997, all new products, whether introduced by the Holland supply center or by U.S. supply centers, would take on the new cosmetics. The familiar black-and-plum motif of BURLE security consoles and the mushroom gray look of the Philips line would give way to "charcoal black with gray" colors. For example, a security console keyboard now has a black frame while the artwork and keypads are colored gray.
"The goal in 1998," adds Lancaster, PA-based Villella, "is to have all existing products that we intend to continue making in 1999 converted to the new color scheme." For instance, the company's flagship switching equipment, the AllegiantR system, will be produced in the new look sometime in April 1998. Eventually, all Philips CSSI products, regardless of where they're manufactured, will have this color design.
The third aspect to harmonization is a unification of the model numbering system. Under BURLE, products had a three- or four-digit number prefixed by "TC" which stood for "Television Camera" . . . a throwback to the time prior to 1987 when RCA was the manufacturer. The Philips Eindhoven line prefixed their model numbers with "LDH". In a sort of compromise, the prefix now becomes "LTC."
It was at the American Society of Industrial Security conference in September 1997 that security dealers first got a hint of the Philips harmonization process. "That was the first trade show where we came out as more representative of Philips," notes Villella. "What we were trying to do was convey to our North American customer base that only the name was changing, the same people were in place as before and that, in fact, you could expect better things to come because we were now part of the Philips organization."
At the International Security Conference in Las Vegas in March 1998, the Philips CSS exhibit will be totally harmonized. Every product on display will be in the new color scheme, with the message to dealers being: "BURLE is now Philips, and we're a much stronger organization for that fact!"
Says Villella: "We want to show dealers that we can now provide a much broader product portfolio and services."
Tapping Into New Technologies
He sees new product development as one area that has already benefited by the Philips-BURLE combination. "Our U.S. design development groups can tap into Philips' high technology and advanced research organizations and work with them on new technologies that will find their way into the products of the future."
As an example, Villella points to recently introduced models of surveillance cameras that are more compact yet offer performance advantages. New technology driven by the aggressive market for personal computers is showing up in security products. "In the past, because it was hardware-oriented," Villella adds, "a camera design could survive for four or five years or longer. But today, with the miniaturization of components and software-based features, you can get smaller camera designs that may only last two years before you're into the next generation.
"Being part of the Philips family enables us to stay in the technical lead in product development."
The harmonization process is also meant to make an impression on the end-user. A single look to a variety of components signifies a system . . . . as in one manufacturer, one technical support center. "Even the smaller business that buys one or two cameras, a monitor and maybe a time-lapse recorder reaches a certain comfort level when the same brand is on everything," adds Villella.