UNILEVER: Significant new corporate branding strategy

New: Unilever logo

Launched: May 12, 2004

Story in brief:
This is a definitive change in branding strategy, significant for Unilever's recognition of the growing importance of the corporate brand. In this internet era, all is visible, including institutional responsibility. So Unilever is taking "the next step in transparency and accountability," because "consumers are demanding more and more from the companies behind the brands."
And if the corporation behind the brands is to be more visible, it makes sense to express its humanity in both purpose and personality. That is the reason for this logo change. New Mission and Purpose statements help explain the content:

Mission, "To add vitality to life";

Purpose, "To build great brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life."

It's a reasonable guess the old mark's Twin Towers resemblance was another motive.

Credits:
CEOs - Chairmen Antony Burgmans and Niall FitzGerald
Identity counsel  - Wolff Olins
Design - Wolff Olins and Miles Newlyn

First Impressions:
Bird, palm tree, teacup, shirt... it's like a treasure hunt. Designer David Weinberger, posting at the blog SpeakUp: "...fresh energy and wonderful texture. The fact that these [25 different] icons are microscopic, doesn't bother me. It kind of has a Chuck Close thing going on. At minimum, when small, it is still a very nice 'U;' once it gets much larger there is a lot to discover... the new script is playful and human and successful."

Wolff Olins is doing bold work these days (see Abbey).