PDI Technologies
Fueling the Future
PDI (Professional Data Solutions, Inc.) is a 40-year-old company that began when an accountant working at a gas station developed software to streamline operations. After the gas station closed, he began selling the software to other convenience store retailers, and over time, PDI became known in the U.S. as the leading provider of ERP solutions for gas stations. Renowned for their deep industry knowledge, expertise, and exceptional service, PDI built a strong reputation. In 2016, a private equity firm acquired PDI and initiated an aggressive M&A strategy that led to 20 acquisitions by 2021. These included companies focused on marketing loyalty, payments, data analytics, cybersecurity, and consumer engagement, making PDI an increasingly global company with over 1,350 employees across 11 countries and clients in more than 50 nations. PDI needed to evolve its brand to better reflect its growth, expanded service offerings, and emerging focus on customer experience.
WANT Branding initiated a comprehensive Discovery Phase, including over 30 individual stakeholder interviews with executives, product specialists, analysts, employees, and customers, as well as a thorough competitive review of 10 key players in the ERP, petroleum distribution, supply chain, and logistics sectors. The primary insight uncovered was that digital transformation was a central issue for PDI’s clients, and only PDI had the scale and depth to lead that transformation. With this insight, WANT recommended evolving the brand by adding “Technologies” to the PDI name to reflect its expanded capabilities. A new brand architecture was also created to streamline the go-to-market strategy for various products and solutions. Finally, a fresh visual identity was introduced, featuring a dynamic up-arrow symbol, accompanied by a comprehensive style guide for consistent brand implementation.
The rebranding successfully modernized PDI’s identity, positioning it as a forward-thinking leader in the digital transformation of the petroleum and convenience store industries. The addition of “Technologies” to the company name effectively communicated PDI’s expanded capabilities and broad customer base, ranging from individual gas stations to major oil brands like Chevron and Exxon. The new brand architecture streamlined their go-to-market strategy, ensuring clarity across PDI’s product offerings. The dynamic up-arrow symbol became a powerful representation of progress, symbolizing PDI’s role in helping clients transform. This revitalized identity has helped PDI strengthen its market position and build a more cohesive, future-ready brand that is well-equipped for continued expansion and success.