Featured cases

2006

Said to be "the largest technology leveraged buyout ever," this is the spinout to private investors of Philips Semiconductors from Philips Electronics. NXP's focus is on chips for consumer electronics devices; theoretically, its independence makes it easier to sell to such Philips competitors as Sony and Panasonic. Its leader, Frans van Houten, sought a brand that would express the "superior sensory experience" NXP chips would bring to mobile phones, digital TVs and such through its "vibrant media technologies." 

Verse Group, whose principals had done work for Philips Semiconductor, got the assignment to help with brand positioning, naming and "the basis for the logo design," working closely with the internal Philips Design team in Eindhoven.  According to Ally Cane, senior creative director at Philips Design and leader of the design project team, "the logo symbolizes everything NXP stands for. It's colorful, fresh and dynamic. The N&P on top of the X create two arrows facing inwards - so the N (representing the New) and P (representing Philips) point towards the X, which stands for the sensory experiences that will be enhanced through NXP products."

The NXP name, said to mean "Next Experience," came out of a full-blown naming process (master list of 1,500 or so.) A close contender was "Nexperia," the company's best-known product (also a Division name); NXP was felt to be stronger, especially in Asian markets and as a corporate brand. It helps that NXP resonates with electronics engineers as the start of a Fermi theorem, "N times P..."  Tony Spaeth

Verse Group (NY)

Submitted by: Tony Spaeth, 14/11/2006
Status: Estimated by Tony Spaeth
Category: Technology Hardware & Equipment
Country (HQ): Netherlands