Leonardo DRS created a cost-effective, life-saving alternative to GPS.
My goal was to give it an identity.
The Problem
The U.S. Military relies on GPS not only for navigation, but also for targeting and calling for help. GPS can be jammed or spoofed however, making it an Achilles’ heel for the warfighter. The way to combat this is through the incorporation of Assured Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (A-PNT)
The Solution
What you see when you use your GPS app on your phone is known as Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) information. A-PNT describes the ability for the user to keep receiving this data even in the event of GPS disruption.
Leonardo DRS devised a new product that does just that. My goal was to give it an identity, and get that identity out there. It all started with the name.
AC²ES
A-PNT Converged Computer - Embedded and Scalable
While ideating names for this product, I had two primary goals in mind: appealing to the customer and succinctly communicating the product’s benefits. Early on, I decided that the product’s name would best be suited as an acronym as our customers tend to favor products that are named as such. “Converged Computer - Embedded and Scalable” communicates the benefits specific to our product.
“Converged Computer - Embedded” refers to the technology being embedded in a unit that is already fielded on over 150,000 platforms, making it a desirable option in the interest of saving money, power, space, and weight. “Scalable” refers to the product’s modular upgrade options, making it tailorable to mission requirements.
Once the identity of the product was created. I created the customer-facing marketing collateral for the product, including the landing page, social media ads, posters, a slick sheet, press releases, and even an email campaign. AC²ES would go on to win a gold award from the Military & Aerospace Electronics Innovators Awards and made the cover story of GPS World.
