Corporations join the name game

Naming work is mushrooming as companies increasingly opt to merge and rebrand their operations, often leading to an entirely new name.

Last week Guinness and Grand Metropolitan – formerly known as GMG Brands – announced the company will trade as Diageo when it merges at the end of the year. Naming and identity is by Wolff Olins.

Guinness Chairman Tony Greener says the decision to give the Guinness and Grand Metropolitan merger a new name reflects the new nature of the company the deal has created.

Meanwhile, Siegel & Gale in New York is working on a new name for Price Waterhouse and Coopers & Lybrand, set to merge in the new year. A Price Waterhouse spokeswoman says a logo designer for the accountancy giant will be appointed shortly.

Hull consultancy The Core is creating a hallmark brand for a group of insurance companies. The resulting name and identity will be used in future projects the groups undertake. It will be unveiled early in the new year. The Core managing director Peter Melling says the name will be totally unrelated to any of the constituent groups.

See News Analysis, page 8