02.02.

04 Branding Guidelines

Communications System > Advertising

Our new global advertising

promotes in distinctive ways each
of our two Master Brands and
our company.

The repositioning of our Master Brands — and the

introduction of our company brand — through advertising
is critical in supporting our strategy.
We want our customers to understand what the
two heritage brands should stand for:
■ Their values
■ Their strengths
■ The dimensions that set them apart from competitors
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Communications System > Advertising

Goals
Master Brand advertising will establish the communication
platform for Exxon/Esso and Mobil brands so they can be consis-
tently perceived by our customers in a clear and focused way.

We are going to reestablish the Exxon/Esso brand with its core

benefit, RELIABILITY, through the values of quality and efficiency

What we want to accomplish through

that come with Exxon/Esso.
global advertising

■ Bring consistency across Lines of Business

Mobil will be positioned on the promise of PERFORMANCE. This
and geographies
is delivered through the brand’s unique expertise and innovation.
■ Leverage the reputations of our two brands

■ Establish a unique, individual and ownable

look and feel for each brand
Master Brand advertising can be leveraged across lines of
■ Communicate the benefits of doing business business sectors … and geographies.
with ExxonMobil Lubricants & Specialties

■ Build a platform for LOB strategies and

initiatives

■ Facilitate easy adaptation

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Communications System > Advertising

Brand targeting
Market research conducted around the world and across
lines of business confirmed that our customers fall into two
major segments whose lubrication needs and desires differ
in substantial ways.
One group, whom we call STREAMLINERS, seeks quality
products from reliable suppliers that perform with a high degree
of efficiency. Exxon/Esso is being targeted to this group.
The other group, whom we call INVOLVED BUYERS, look
for advanced lubrication technology and expertise, often through
close partnership with the supplier. Mobil is being targeted
to this group.

Key Insight Brand Stands for Appeals to

Esso Reliability, Quality, Efficiency Streamliners

Mobil Performance, Innovation, Expertise Involved Buyers

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Communications System > Advertising

Approach
This campaign brings the advertising to a higher level, elevating
the brands beyond a single product or a single LOB. These
Master Brand ads, “big idea” advertisements, will establish a
universal brand campaign that relates the Master Brands across
product brands and LOBs. This will be accomplished by:
■ Common strategy
■ Common look and feel
■ Common positioning lines

In addition, ads will reinforce brand images and personalities.

Master Brand ads are the foundation on which to build product
brand advertising, so that one reinforces the other.
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Communications System > Advertising

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Implementation
The Path to Persuasion
The more profoundly our customers understand not only what

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they can depend on from the company, but also what each of
the two heritage brands can offer them, the stronger the bonds
between our brands and customers will be.
That’s why it is fundamental that our communications build
a solid foundation of understanding . . . from which LOB/product

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communications can be constructed.

To accomplish our goals, we have a three-phase plan:

Phase One: Set the context.
Phase Two: Focus on the Master Brands.
Phase Three: Promote LOBs and product brands.
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Communications System > Advertising

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Phase one: Set the context.

■ Introduce the company, ExxonMobil Lubricants & Specialties

to establish a clear understanding of the added value that
ExxonMobil will bring to customers’ businesses and their lives
■ Leverage the company’s major asset: industry leadership
■ Build the base for the two heritage brands
■ Build the core idea of the company as “endorser brand”
for products in Aviation, Marine and Basestocks
■ Neutralize customer confusion
■ Pre-empt competitive claims
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Communications System > Advertising

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Phase two: Focus on the Master Brands.
■ Reintroduce the brands from their most complete
perspective to our target audiences
■ Establish the traits that set the brands apart, giving them
their distinct personalities
■ Form the unifying ideas that give focus, consistency and
synergy to all communications of that brand across the world
■ Position the two brands in the minds of the target customer
base — to build and reinforce the understanding what each
of the two brands “stands for”

This advertising is broader than any

■ Provide the foundation from which to launch LOB and product
specific line of business tactics. It should
be global enough to appeal across all line brand advertising
of business targets. In other words, for the
Master Brands, advertising communicates ■ Set the stage to enable and provide context for actual
“image and reputation” — in contrast to LOB
advertising that will help sell product and one-on-one sales calls.
address specific strategic needs.
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Communications System > Advertising

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Phase three: Promote LOBs
and product brands.

■ Persuade customers/consumers that Exxon/Esso and Mobil’s

branded products and services are better suited to their needs
than those of any other company.
■ Feed from and support the Master Brand ideas.
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Communications System > Advertising

Exxon/Esso Advertising
Exxon/Esso is targeted to a customer segment
we call “Streamliners,”who in general, are looking
for quality products at reasonable pricing, along
with the ability to operate with reliability and
efficiency.Not surprisingly the Exxon/Esso brand
attributes of reliability, quality and efficiency tend
to hold great appeal for these customers.

This brand promise differentiates Exxon from

all other lubricants in the marketplace.

We express this benefit to the customer with

the new tagline: “That’s why there’s Exxon”/
“That’s why there’s Esso.”

The new campaign uses a “streamline” rule to

lead the reader through the ad by linking the
headline to the subhead.The bright red color
block is used in a fresh, contemporary fashion
to attract attention and reflect the Exxon/Esso
heritage.The use of the Running Tiger
underscores the brand equity. Photography is
filtered to give it a distinctive blur.

The communications structure is simple:

The problem is stated in the headline, the
solution in the red circle, and the resolution
in the tagline, “That’s why there’s Exxon”/
“That’s why there’s Esso.”
Branding Elements
Key messages/communications ■ Streamline rule
Reinforcing the quality message in the ■ Red block
Exxon/Esso positioning is important. It credits ■ Logo and icon
the brand for its history of superior products. ■ Tagline
We will also stress the ‘reliability’perceived ■ Blurred photography
in Exxon/Esso.

Exxon/Esso’s “efficiency”attribute is based on

both operational and transactional efficiency.
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Communications System > Advertising

Mobil Advertising
Mobil is targeted to a customer segment we
call the “Involved Buyer,” who wants strong
involvement, from a highly knowledgeable supplier,
technical services and access to advance
technology in lubrication. Not surprisingly, these
customers are attracted to Mobil brand’s identity:
performance, expertise and innovation.
We express this through the new tagline:
“Command Performance.”

The tagline reinforces the idea that everything

Mobil does is focused on providing premium
performance for its customers.

The concept behind this line also reflects our

own commitment to performance. There’s an
emotional component too:We want the customer
to know they have the power to maximize the
efficiency of their own equipment or operations
with the help of Mobil.

The graphic elements of high tech gears and

the cropped red “o” represent Mobil’s involvement
in their client’s technology. One cannot operate
without each other (the circle and the gears).
Photography fills most of the area, and is graphic,
bold and colorful.

Key messages/communications Branding Elements

We must continue to reinforce the brand’s ■ Cropped red “o”
core unique benefits.This series of advertising ■ Gear shapes
focuses on Mobil’s product innovations (synthet- ■ Logo and icon
ics), deep sector and product expertise and ■ Tagline
our heritage of partnerships with equipment ■ Bold photography
builders and original equipment manufacturers,
all of which differentiate Mobil’s performance
leadership from the competition.
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Communications System > Advertising

ExxonMobil Lubricants &

Specialties Advertising
ExxonMobil, the company brand, represents a
major investment in, and commitment to, the pursuit
of excellence in the lubricants marketplace.

ExxonMobil advertising is directed to individuals

who are on the frontline of oil-buying decisions
on a global basis. They are people who want to take
their businesses to the next level and maintain con-
tinuous advancement. For them, ExxonMobil stands
for unparalleled global scale (reach and consistency);
global product availability and resources; technology
and category leadership;and financial strength.

ExxonMobil then, is the lubrication standard-setter

that is “Moving AHEAD,”as our tagline says.

The new campaign showcases the strengths of

our two master brands through the dual-strand
of Exxon/Esso red and Mobil blue. Photography
is strong and panoramic. The logo leads into our
tagline, placed in the blue tab.

Key messages/communications
Advertising highlights the unification of ExxonMobil
Lubricants & Specialties and its combined global
promise of:Exxon reliability and Mobil performance,
in order to achieve Lubrication excellence.
Branding Elements
We will continue to emphasize the benefits of our
■ Dual-strand rule
combined brands — while using the company to
■ Logo
endorse brands across global LOBs.Our messages
■ Tagline
will position us as providing lubrication excellence
■ Strong panoramic photography
at the heart of progress.