Sampson Tyrrell gives Tarmac good grounding

The Tarmac Group yesterday unveiled its new Sampson Tyrrell Enterprise-designed corporate identity.

The new identity – a radical departure from the old logo Design Research Unit first created in 1964 – signals Tarmac’s strategy to “get back to its two core areas of business – building and construction”, says Sampson Tyrrell Enterprise chief executive Terry Tyrrell. It “unites what was a disparate series of single companies into one group with one aim”, he adds.

The old symbol consisting of seven T’s researched badly, showing negative perceptions both inside and outside the company, says Tyrrell. “We looked at everything, including changing the name. But detailed research showed that the Tarmac name was the brand and it had a lot of brand equity, so the name was the only aspect to be retained,” he adds.

Both Sampson Tyrrell Enterprise and Tarmac decline to reveal the cost of the project.

The identity will be rolled out across all applications, with stationery and key sites under going an immediate implementation. Tarmac’s fleet of 6000 vehicles will carry the new logo on a replacement basis.

The then Sampson Tyrrell was appointed in January 1995 after a three-way credentials pitch against Lloyd Northover Citigate and Wolff Olins.