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Case: Novartis 1997


THE STORY

The 1996 merger of Ciba-Geigy with Sandoz, at that time the largest metger in history, produced "the world's leading Life Sciences company."

Secrecy was so obsessive that Siegel+Gale's London office was retained "to name a new Sandoz division," and came up with Novartis (for "new skills"). Not bad, considering the subterfuge.

The elegant graphic symbol (a mortar and pestle? a flower? or as a press release would have it, "the intervention of human intelligence in nature"?) functions well with Novartis, transforming 'just another new name' into an unmistakable identity.


CREDITS

Siegel+Gale (UK)


CASE INFO

Submitted by: Tony Spaeth, 1/12/2006
Status: Estimated by Tony Spaeth
Category: Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology
Country (HQ): Switzerland


MATRIX DATA

DRIVERS

  

TOOLS

Structural driver: 100%   
Merger & Acquisition
  New vision, forget the past
 100%  x  Identifier tactics: Name change: Created words
    x  Identifier tactics: Logo change: Symbol-dominant
    x  Identity system elements: Visual system: Typography
    x  Identity system elements: Visual system: Palette
    x  Identity system elements: Verbal elements: Principal unit names or competence list
    x  Identity system elements: Verbal elements: Tag lines
    x  Identity system elements: Unit signature system: Monolithic
    x  Change event : High visibility: Campaign