Glaxo Wellcome unity evolves with new look

The Square Red Studio in London has created the identity for pharmaceuticals giant Glaxo Wellcome.

The consultancy was brought in by Merchant Corporate Design which won the job. Glaxo Wellcome merged in March to create the biggest pharmaceuticals company in the world.

Merchant, which sources all its design from its own roster of consultancies, was appointed to design Glaxo Wellcome’s annual report and chose The Square Red Studio to carry out the project.

The pharmaceuticals company then asked Merchant to create its new corporate identity. Designers Anthony Hutchinson and Marcus Ainley started work on the logo in July for completion in September.

“We tried to tie in the spirit of mutual respect, and put the two logos together to take the company into the 21st century,” says Hutchinson.

“We were looking for a symbol to join the two words but realised that was defeating the object, because a symbol pushes the words apart,” he adds.

Merchant managing director Catherine Samy says: “It was very important that it was seen as a merger and not as an aggressive take-over. We have tried to evolve the identity from the past.”

The blue identity appears in Rotis typeface, says Hutchinson.

The Square Red Studio is working on 1000 corporate identity manuals to go out to the 152 countries where Glaxo Wellcome operates. The manuals will cover the identity’s usage on packaging, signage, vehicles and staff clothing.