In short
When we first met with the Western Retail Lumber Association (WRLA) in Fall 2023, they were at a sticking point with their name. They no longer wanted to be limited by their regional specificity—and had even outgrown the distinct lumber industry title. Their members reflected a much wider swath of folks who help build up cities and towns—supplying all types of building materials, and manufacturers, buying groups and retailers worked across Canada. They wanted their name to convey the national influence they hoped to have on government matters related to the building supply industry. And with the sudden introduction of tariffs in the US postlaunch, they had ample testing ground.
Methodology
The Western Retail Lumber Association was ready to move away from their name—they got confused with forestry, and had trouble booking meetings with federal government ministers. They knew their members worked across Canada, and wanted their name to reflect this.
But, as one of Canada’s longest-standing member associations, there was plenty of history steeped into the name and brand—and it’s a proud, scrappy and hardworking group.
They wanted to make sure they went through a listening phase to hear from their board and members—including a cross-section of industry folks, to ensure the new name would resonate with the diverse group.
So, UpHouse embarked on a thorough process of member and industry consultation, competitor brand audits and design exploration. The staff, board, marketing committee, members and outside interest holders participated in workshops and focus groups along the way, helping us hear from 50+ members as part of this project.
We conducted name brainstorms with the rebrand committee, helping uncover a universal thread for this group: WRLA’s members help supply the projects that build our nation. So, the name that was proposed and passed focus tests with flying colours became: Supply- Build Canada. To support the rebrand, a visual identity with a primary and heritage logo was created to celebrate both the legacy of this association, and where it’s headed.
The brand colours convey the association’s revitalized energy and leadership—and are distinct from other industry associations, helping Supply-Build stand out.
Challenges & Execution
Due to the fear of losing equity in the former brand, we created a transitional logo with the “formerly the Western Retail Lumber Association” logo to be used when it would clarify who they are with audiences who know them best as WRLA. We also created a heritage logo to nod to the past for use among Western audiences familiar with the history of the brand, helping us honour the past while building up goodwill for the future.
The new name and brand identity for Supply-Build Canada was launched at their annual showcase, supported by the executive director’s speech, a logo reveal and brand launch video. We even armed the board with brand champion messaging, helping them support the new brand’s acceptance. The crowd launched into an impromptu chant for the new name, conveying widespread excitement for the new national moniker.
Through careful planning and consultation, Supply- Build was able to flip their digital assets to the new brand after the gala event—and overnight, the showcase was filled with the brand’s new signature colours in balloon art, signage and other details.
UpHouse also staffed and activated a booth at the showcase, sharing stories behind the rebrand and offering folks a chance to cement their influence on the association’s history by sharing a milestone photo or memory, and nailing it to the wall at our booth.
In addition to the successful brand reveal at the showcase, we built a one-year communications plan to roll out the new brand and build familiarity with the new name, including media releases, reaching out directly to trade publications, hosting a series of government meet and greets, and a digital advertising campaign targeting members of the building materials industry.
Outcome
In addition to the eruption of chants at the showcase, there was media pickup for the rebrand at the 2025 Showcase in Edmonton. As the tariff news was breaking, Supply-Build Canada was interviewed by Alberta media post-event and executive director Liz Kovach quickly became the spokesperson for the industry related to the tariffs’ impacts on members.
She is now travelling regularly to Washington to lobby the US government for a solution on the lumber tariffs and lumber tax—something she says she could not have done if the association was still under their old name.
The rebrand ended up coming at the perfect time, and allowed Supply-Build Canada to immediately become recognized as the authorized, national leader and voice for their diverse industry of building materials suppliers and retailers.
Lessons Learned
While change is always difficult for organizations with a long history, associations have to listen to members— and respond to their needs. The rebrand helped them better position their influence at a national scale, and better advocate on behalf of their members, driving better value for them. Ultimately, if associations rebrand in response to consultation with their members, a rebrand can help an association better serve them.
