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1998


1991

Fortis had been created in 1990 as a simply a holding company, with Dutch and Belgian financial brands and global ambitions, expressed with a straightforward wordmark designed by Wolff Olins (see 1990 case).

Fortis Phase Two:  In 1998 the two chairmen, one from each founding parent firm, questioned their reliance on freestanding historic brands. They convened a branding task force headed by Brand Manager Cathy Feierstein, who told us "We really felt that there was a great opportunity to develop a strategic approach, to create more of a strong single Fortis brand that will represent a full-spectrum financial services provider... and to serve as an internal rallying point as well." Landor assisted with extensive counsel, as well as design.

The new symbol was ostensibly derived from an aerial photograph of a European town. (The full-page WSJ ad launching the new identity -- complete with "the original photograph taken by our logo designer" -- explained the skydiver's vantage-point with references to "community.") [Feierstein adds "Frankly, with my pragmatic head, I thought the new design would be a pain to work with. But it's really generated a lot of interrest. Hopefully it says something about Fortis."]

The heritage brands AG and NV Amev would be replaced with Fortis (but there were still two chairmen, in two HQ's.)  The full-page launch ads (with the skydiver) used two tag lines, the thematic "Solid partners, flexible solutions" and the harder-edged identifier "Fortis. Insurance. Investments."  Tony Spaeth

Landor (identity design London, research mostly San Francisco) 

Submitted by: Tony Spaeth, 21/05/2007
Status: Estimated by Tony Spaeth
Category: General Financial
Country (HQ): United States