WYETH: ...a stronger platform "on which we can build awareness and shareholder value"

A use of identity, by a leader

New: Wyeth as corporate brand, replacing American Home Products

Launched: March 11, 2002

Story in brief:
For decades, AHP was the biggest unknown company in America, and a great frustration to identity consultants: William LaPorte, its legendary leader in the 50s -70s and successor John Stafford firmly denied the relevance of a corporate brand, and AHP, comfortable as a self-described (but very hands-on) holding company, enjoyed the quiet reputation of a 'widows and orphans' stock.' By mid 80s, its food and saucepan businesses were gone and AHP was becoming a pure play drug company. To his credit, new CEO Robert Essner knew that success as a freestanding pharmaceutical leader would require a stronger corporate brand. And he chose 'Wyeth:' "We thought about a coined name but decided we already have good equity in a name we already have," he said (in a NYTimes interview). "This is a name that 80 percent of our employees already have on their business card."

Credits:
C.E.O. - Robert Essner
Identity design - Logo by Landor, implementation by BrandLogic.

First Impressions:
The name is unique, short and perfectly appropriate (though pronunciation in some tongues will vary). It is so distinctive that the logo needs little dressing up; but I do think Landor leaned a little too far in the plain-vanilla direction. A straight-type wordmark like this places a special burden on art directors and designers, going forward, to position and isolate it so it is always clear it is a mark, not merely a word.