A.T. Kearney launches a new global branding

26 January 2012 Consultancy.uk

A.T. Kearney has renewed its global branding with the aim of further distinguishing its 86-year-old brand in the international consulting marketplace. The updated look follows a year-long initiative to clarify the firm's distinctiveness and further define its brand. The main change to its new look is the logo – the name Kearney is emphasized more as the letters are in bold. The new logo and branding has been implemented in all marketing and recruitment outings of the strategy & operations consulting firm.

ATKearney old and new logo

Out of the independent review of its brand, A.T. Kearney uncovered three fundamental characteristics that define the firm and its culture:

1) Collaborative to the core, easy-to-work with and engaging.

2) Authentic, providing candid, honest and creative approaches that work.

3) Forward-thinking, always practically applying market foresight to produce both immediate results and build lasting, transformational advantage for clients.

To gain some knowledge about this rebranding Consultancy.uk spoke to Nathan Burgers, Managing Director Benelux.

Q: What was the motive for editing A.T. Kearney’s global branding?

A: A.T. Kearney exists over more than 85 years. Five years ago we became a (global) partnership (after the MBO of EDS); a process which released a lot of energy and ambition. In this context the renewing of global branding provides us the opportunity to make clear what A.T. Kearney separates itself from rivals. The branding consists of more than a new logo and visual expressions. In the past years we worked together with customers and external experts to articulate our identity and core values. What we stand for is: immediate impact, growing advantage. These two phenomena are the core of our way of working being consultants. Booking immediate and tangible results for our clients, with our clients. Apart from this, it is necessary to always keep an eye out for structural changes that are required for expanding and securing future success of our clients.

Q: According to Paul Laudicina, CEO at A.T. Kearney, the new logo is “more modern”. What is, according to you, the biggest difference compared to the old branding?

A: In line with the new brand thought the logo has been adapted, also visual expressions that we reflect to the outer world have changed (presentations, white papers, letters, websites). On me the new logo and matching house style make a fresh and elegant impression. At the same time there are still style elements referring to our history (like the autograph of our founder that is printed on our business cards).

Q: What are A.T. Kearney’s plans, as well in the Netherlands as internationally, to roll out the new branding to clients, suppliers, and remaining target groups?

A: When considering our new ‘look and feel’ we think it is important to be globally consistent. Internally we have a powerful model for cooperation which makes us capable of bundling our global expertise and knowledge for the sake of our clients. The fact that we are a real firm-firm makes us also want to express this in our branding.  No matter if you are a customer in Amsterdam, New York or Beijing, our business cards, presentations and reports will all look similar. More important is that we really advertise what we stand for, both in our work as in our communication to our clients and recruitment candidates. Rolling out our branding is mainly about fulfilling promises in everything we do and say.

Q: Conclusively, formally perceiving A.T. Kearney, an ‘.’ After the A and T, why? And why has it been decided not to include this in the logo again?

A: The A and the T are the initials of our founder Andrew Thomas Kearney. These initials form an integral part of our branding name.

Thank you very much for the interview

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