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AkzoNobel /
The Netherlands’ AkzoNobel is the one of the largest chemical companies in the world, and by some margin, the largest coatings company on Earth. The relationship between AkzkoNobel and Wally Olins—Saffron Brand Consultants’ chairman—goes back to the 1980s when Wally, as head of Wolff Olins, led the team that created the company’s original logo, affectionately known as Bruce.
Original logo developed by Wolff Olins
When Saffron Brand Consultants were approached to revamp Bruce, we saw it as an opportunity to create a highly visible brand mark that would, once again, be relevant for another twenty years. The new logo will be used to endorse all of AkzoNobel’s brands.
Our updated ‘Bruce’. With the corporate strapline ‘Tomorrow’s answers today’ it was necessary to have the new gesture engaging the future and presenting it to the world.
Custom logotype drawn to reflect the sharp edges, soft curves and pointy aspects inherent in the new Bruce logo.
Early concept study to have ‘Bruce’ more liquid as though he were coated or made of a liquid versus a solid.
Sketch edits exploring the gesture, posture and dynamics for the new Bruce. To tackle this part of the process we called upon the extrordinary talents of Martijn Rijven.
Over the years, AkzoNobel has grown through a number of acquisitions including Nobel, Courtaulds and most notably the acquisition of ICI, once the largest British chemical company. What has been remarkable is the consistency with which AkzoNobel has retained its original premise of individual achievement and the determination to stay ahead, providing, in the company’s words, “Tomorrow’s answers today.”
One of the final recommendations represented in colour.
The original bas-relief created in the Eastern Mediterranean around 450 BC.
Interestingly, Bruce actually dates back more than two decades—more like two millennia—to a bas-relief created in Greece which was part of a school of science.
Writes Wally in the Saffron-produced AkzoNobel brand book: “A united and determined AkzoNobel has the right symbol for the coming decades, a symbol with forcefulness and humanity—and continuity, too.”