Taillight’s Strategy: Building a Brand That’s Already Embedded
We began by clarifying Canopy’s strategic foundation through interviews, audits, and positioning workshops with leadership and operators. This process revealed a powerful insight about how Canopy truly operates: they don’t just deliver parts, they embed deeply into customer processes, serving as an extension of their own engineering and R&D capabilities.
From this insight, we distilled the company’s purpose into a clear and confident brand positioning: Built In.
This positioning reflected both Canopy’s ability to integrate seamlessly into customer workflows and its own built-in innovation engine through internal materials science, additive capabilities, and rapid prototyping.
We created a comprehensive messaging system structured around six key brand pillars that were then adapted for multiple audiences, including customers, employees, and future talent.
We also developed a brand story and positioning framework that could flex across both the parent brand (Canopy Aerospace & Defense) and its legacy entities. Through our strategic process, the team recognized that the Canopy name from the aerospace acquisition provided the perfect foundation for the overarching brand. The decision to adopt Canopy Aerospace & Defense as the parent brand, with Canopy Technologies operating as a new subdivision alongside Hera and MSM, created a clear and scalable architecture.
From Strategy to System: A Cohesive Identity for a Complex Platform
With the strategic foundations in place, we brought the brand to life through a modern, modular identity system designed for both digital and industrial applications. The comprehensive system included a new logo family for Canopy Aerospace & Defense and its operating divisions: Canopy Technologies, Hera, and MSM. We developed a refined brand architecture with a series of endorsements that clearly articulated the relationship between the parent company and its specialized subsidiaries while also being adaptable for different applications.
Finally, we developed a flexible messaging system that “translated” the brand positioning to all of the company’s unique audiences: current customers, new prospects, passive audiences, and internal teams, ensuring consistent communication across all touchpoints.
The Impact: Positioned for What’s Next
The new brand system has positioned Canopy Aerospace & Defense to lead the future of advanced materials across defense, space, and beyond. With a clear story, defined structure, and unified look and feel, the company now has the tools to communicate the full potential of its integrated platform to the market effectively.
Early response from teams across all divisions has been overwhelmingly positive, reflecting the brand’s ability to rally employees around a shared identity and vision. As Canopy Aerospace & Defense continues to evolve through innovation, acquisition, and impact, the brand is built to grow right alongside them, providing a strong foundation for whatever comes next.
