Overhead Door Corporation, the original inventor of the upward-acting garage door in 1921, had long been a household name. But as competition intensified across both residential and commercial markets, the company needed a bold, strategic effort to reassert its leadership and expand its brand relevance.
May & Co. was engaged to lead a comprehensive communications initiative that would do more than maintain market share—it would redefine the company’s presence across all channels. From the outset, we focused on reinforcing Overhead Door’s legacy while positioning it as a forward-thinking industry leader. We developed and managed a unified suite of product literature and sales collateral that clearly articulated product benefits to both residential consumers and commercial buyers.
A national broadcast advertising campaign helped ignite public awareness, for the ESP system targeting homeowners. One of the most celebrated outcomes was the creation of the Architectural Design Manual—an innovative 380 page commercial door reference tool that became, in the company’s own words, “the most effective marketing tool in the company’s history.”
This revitalized brand strategy didn’t just generate attention; it delivered measurable impact. Overhead Door quickly regained its leadership in the residential market and leveraged that success to acquire the Genie Corporation. In the commercial space, the company surpassed the combined sales of its next four competitors—an achievement that reaffirmed its dominant position in the industry.
Other major design initiatives included:
Shareholder reporting
Product literature tailored to residential and commercial audiences
Trade advertising campaigns to build brand awareness and strengthen industry perception
Brand launch of the Fire Sentinel Operating System
Naming and visual identity of new product lines.
Trade show presence, including booth themes and display graphics.