Merged firms yet to make identity choice

Merging financial giants Axa Equity & Law and Sun Life Provincial will approach any identity and other corporate rebranding issues in several months’ time, says an Axa spokesman.

The spokesman says it is far too early on in the merger process for a new name for the unified group to be considered. The merged group will be the UK’s third largest life assurance and pension provider.

But he says the two constituent brands will be likely to be used to sell in one each of the insurer’s main markets. Sun Life will be used to sell life products through independent financial advisers. The Axa brand will be used for non-life products and via the companies’ direct sales forces.

So far the two companies have announced their intention to merge. Approval is likely this autumn.

“There’s still an awful lot of work to be done on the deal and it is speculative to talk about a new brand,” says the spokesman.

Even if a new brand was not to be created, there would be a need for new communications design. The spokesman adds: “That is part of the detail of the deal and we have not got to that stage yet.”