Carlyle Tools, a NAPA Auto Parts-owned brand long trusted in the basics, came to The Variable ready for a change. Long known for quality, Carlyle had been falling out of favor with the next generation of techs. So we stripped it down and rebuilt it from the ground up: strategy, story, design, and everything in between.

The result: Built Different, a brand positioning and branding effort built to match the mindset of young techs who don't just work hard; they outwork everyone.

As Jamie Walton, EVP, Chief Merchandising Officer at NAPA, adds, “There’s nothing cookie-cutter about this launch. We didn’t just update our logo—we overhauled how Carlyle shows up, what it stands for, and who it stands with. The Variable helped us build a brand with bite—and not just metaphorically. The Sabertooth says it all. It’s bold, sharp, and built to earn respect in the hands of techs who don’t settle.”