CSA Exclusive: The Big Switch at Casey’s

Unveiling a new logo is never easy — particularly when the existing one has been in place for more than 50 years. But that’s exactly what Casey’s General Store has done.

“To signal where we are — and where we are headed into the future — we needed to update our visual identity,” said Chris Jones, chief marketing officer, Casey’s General Stores, which operates more than 2,200 convenience stores in 16 states.  

The refreshed look, which comes some two years after Casey’s unveiled its “Here For Good” brand repositioning, was directly related to changes in the customer experience and the way customers interact with the brand, Jones explained. 

Five years ago, for example, customers did not interact with Casey’s digitally. But all that has changed as the company rolled out digital initiatives such as a mobile app, curbside pickup and digital-based rewards program.

“Our guest experience got further and further ahead of our visual identity…more and more disconnected,” Jones said.

A key part of the visual update was moving from “Casey’s General Store” to simply “Casey’s” in all the chain’s signage and branding. 

“Casey’s is what our guests call us, “Jones said. “Also, the meaning of general stores has lost a lot of its meaning and relevance over time. It was helpful in the past, but not so much now or going forward.”

The new logo is more modern-looking and simplified. The brown and bright yellow colors on Casey’s iconic barn have been replaced by a solid red silhouette of the barn, including the classic rooster weathervane, with white “Casey’s” lettering in an updated font. (The logo development was led by Interbrand.)

The new look is being rolled out to all of Casey’s customer touchpoints, including its private-label products. In-store signage will shift during the next 30 to 60 days. 

“Changing the exterior signage will have the longest lead time, with no firm end date yet,” Jones said.

All new Casey’s stores will feature the updated identity. The chain’s new stores also have a different design sensibility, Jones added, with the interior updated to have a more contemporary expression of what’s expected today while also featuring the freshly baked donuts and made-from-scratch pizza that made Casey’s famous.

Customers have reacted to the new branding in two ways, according to Jones. 

“With the change in a beloved brand, you always have people on both sides of the table,” he explained. “It’s a reality of rebranding — some people want to go back to the old way. Others say it’s great to see the heritage of our barn and weathervane in a new, streamlined way.”

Jones said the updated identity is not so much about changing a symbol as it is a symbol of the changes at Casey’s.

“Some of the changes have already happened, but there a lot of it is still ahead of us,” He said. “The feedback we are getting on the logo suggests there are exciting things happenings and new things yet to come from Casey’s. “Our old logo didn’t do that.”