Comet’s professional pressure washers are getting dressed in new colors: a Dark Grey livery and orange details will characterize the new look. First step toward rebranding the entire Cleaning range dedicated to the professionals in the sector.
The two different shades of light grey that distinguished the upper and lower casings of the machines give way to a “total dark grey” for the entire plastic cover that further highlights the orange details of the switches and the new addition, still orange, of the hubcaps. A current and appealing stylistic feature for a decidedly PRO connotation.
We talk about this with Ignazio Trovato, Marketing Specialist at Comet, who tells us how this operation is part of the company’s marketing and communication strategy
Introductions first: can you briefly tell us about your role within Comet S.p.A.?
My name is Ignazio Trovato, Marketing Specialist at Comet and I have been working in this company for about 8 years. I mainly deal with Comet S.p.A. products, but I also collaborate on projects for Lavorwash, PTC and other Comet group companies.
I do a little bit of everything related to marketing: mainly communication strategies, catalogue development and design, social strategies and advertising.
How has the professional cleaning industry changed in recent years from a marketing perspective?
There has been, of course, increased competition, mainly in the hobbyist range where, especially with the rise of Chinese competitors working hard on price, it is increasingly difficult to keep up.
In the professional sector, price competition affects less, since cost is not the main criterion for choice: the end user favors product quality, even accepting a slightly higher price in exchange for high performance and reliability.
Quality is always recognized and valued by the market: offering it, even within a strong competition framework from emerging countries, allows us to maintain a solid and competitive position. One example is Comet, whose professional pressure washers rank among the most highly appreciated in the industry.
Which are the main challenges and responsibilities of your work in the marketing department?
A real challenge is, precisely, to be able to communicate the difference with competitors: product quality, its long life and reliability, the value of Made in Italy as well as the professionalism of after-sales service.
Then there is a product-related issue. I joined Comet soon after my university degree in marketing and found myself having to apply theoretical knowledge to a real-world environment, that of the communication of a metalworking business.
In Comet, I am in charge of both communication and promotion of cleaning machinery - that is, finished products – as well as diaphragm pumps, that is, components intended to be built into other machinery.
The product thorough knowledge is crucial to promote it effectively: in the case of components, the challenge is even greater because products are less straightforward and more difficult to tell. This requires adopting different communication strategies: more technical contents, while keeping on a modern style and mainly relying on traditional channels.
Promotion of the finished product, on the other hand, takes advantage of more current digital marketing tools - social media, web and online advertising - while also paying more attention to the aesthetic look.
Over time, I have refined both types of communication, adapting them to the specific needs of each product.
Let’s go back to rebranding: starting with a light grey for hobby machines and a darker grey for professional machines, Comet recently changed the livery of its products. What motivated this choice?
As early as two years ago I had personally made this same proposal: the idea was received with interest, but at the time the sales management considered it premature in relation to the company’s strategies. Despite this, I continued to support and reintroduce it over time, as I was convinced that a color change could strengthen the identity of the product. Dark colored products, in fact, are perceived by users as more solid, professional and suitable for intensive use, while a lighter shade tends to evoke more "consumer" or less specialized products. This perception of color proves crucial in a market where image helps to immediately communicate the quality and reliability of a product.
Thus, the choice of this very dark grey was not accidental.
That’s right, it is a RAL 7021 dark grey, the same color already introduced in the Floor Care range for floor scrubber dryers and which we will extend to the sweeper range as well.
We have chosen to standardize the whole range in the Professional Cleaning sector, adopting a single color identity to ensure consistency and recognizability in our offer to customers.
The first to be revamped were floor scrubber dryers, now it is the turn of pressure washers, and sweepers will also adopt the new color to follow.
The color and design of a product affect brand perception and sales. What goals have you set with this change?
In addition to recognizability, we wanted to focus on a more modern and dynamic image. From my point of view, dark grey is much more contemporary than traditional light grey: it gives more vibrancy to the product and makes it more aesthetically appealing in the eyes of the end user.
In addition orange details, reminiscent of the Comet logo, will be placed on the machines and particularly enhanced by the contrast with the new dark shade.
With this redesign, our goal is to increase the visual appeal of our products, making them even more competitive and desirable in the marketplace.
Are there any technological innovations besides the design ones?
Yes, we took the restyling opportunity not only to renew the look, but also to implement a technological upgrade. In fact, all the new machines with the new coloring will feature improvements on the electronic part.
Particularly for hot water pressure washers, we have introduced a new electronic board that enables more precise monitoring of machine performance. Thanks to this innovation, different types of alarms and alerts can be received, thus facilitating maintenance management and ensuring optimal operation over time.
What was the creative and decision-making process behind this transformation? Have you involved customers or partners in the process?
The creative and decision-making process behind this transformation has been carefully studied and involves several steps. We decided to start testing during Cleaning trade shows in 2024, a crucial time to gather direct and concrete feedback from our customers.
At Interclean in Amsterdam we specifically exhibited a Scout pressure washer in dark grey, with the intention of observing the public’s reaction and seeing how much the new color was appreciated. The goal was to understand whether color could help reinforce the perception of product quality and professionality.
The feedback we received was very positive, strengthening our idea that dark grey was perceived as a more modern and professional choice than other colors. As a result of this favorable response, we decided to extend the new coloring to the entire professional range to create visual consistency that would reinforce the brand identity.
In this process, we involved not only our customers, but also our partners, to make sure that the change reflected the needs of the market and was in line with the general perception of the brand.
Does the new livery align with a broader change in corporate image or marketing strategy?
Yes, exactly. This change is part of a wider process that began a few years ago with the acquisition of Lavor.
In the past, our core business was mainly focused on components and pumps, while Cleaning did not have a central position. When Lavor joined the group, however, a strategic decision was made to make Cleaning the core of our business, extending this vision to subsequent acquisitions of leading companies in the sector, such as Poli, which specializes in sweepers.
Through these acquisitions, we have greatly expanded our range, becoming one of the few companies able to offer complete indoor and outdoor Cleaning solutions.
To further strengthen this strategy, we have designed a modern and user-friendly website entirely dedicated to Cleaning which represents another step in enhancing our commitment to this area.
What has been the initial feedback from customers and dealers on this innovation?
After Interclean in Amsterdam, we had another important opportunity of feedback during Eima in Bologna, where we displayed our best-selling professional cold-water pressure washers, the Scout and K250. Even then, the feedback received was very positive.
Despite the coloring change, which could have been a challenge, our customers and dealers showed no bewilderment.
Traditionally, a color change could generate confusion, such as the coexistence period between models with the old and new livery, creating potential complaints from dealers. However, surprisingly, the reaction was very favorable: most of our partners accepted the change with enthusiasm, recognizing it as a positive step toward innovation and improvement of our brand.
How did you communicate this news to the market? Have you employed specific advertising campaigns or digital strategies?
We communicated the news to all dealers in advance with a newsletter in November, during Eima 2024, where we indicated the schedule of planned switches for the various machines.
What added value does the marketing department bring to the company in such a technical field?
I remember the feedback-gathering process that provided the crucial thrust for the coloring change. Personally, I pushed hard to bring the test machines to Amsterdam, to the most important trade fair in the Cleaning industry, even when the project had not been fully approved yet.
An interesting anecdote concerns a decision that still seemed uncertain: management was a bit undecided on how to balance the dark color of the machines with the inclusion of orange details, such as wheel covers and push-buttons. To figure out which option might be preferred, I had a machine made with one side completely dark grey and the other with the orange details. Then I asked customers which version they preferred.
The result left no doubt: everyone chose the one with orange details, which was more visible and eye-catching. From there, we decided to follow this path. It was a true A-B test, critical to making the final decision.
Finally, what are Comet S.p.A.’s future strategies to strengthen its market presence?
The color change on the professional pressure washers has been so popular that the Hobby range will most likely adopt a new coloring in the future as well.
Although labeled as hobby products, our devices are on a semi-professional level and beyond: 95 percent of our products are professional in nature, entirely made in Italy.
Even the models intended for the commercial market rely on high-end semi-professional technologies and cannot be found in large-scale retail.
Therefore, the new livery would be perfectly in line for this product range as well.
Many thanks to Ignazio Trovato, Marketing Specialist at Comet S.p.A., for sharing with us the details and insights of this transformation.
