Newell and Sorrell doles out new look

Newly merged pharmaceuticals giants Pharmacia and Upjohn this week unveiled their new logo designed by Newell and Sorrell’s Netherlands office.

The consultancy, which won a paid creative pitch against Pentagram, was asked to create an identity which came alive, says consultancy creative director Marksteen Adamson: “They wanted something that had a lot of emotion immediately rather than something which was monolithic.”

The marque features part of a purple rock face with a symbolic hand, bird and star in silhouette. “It’s so far removed from the safe options” of other pharmaceutical company logos, Adamson says.

The consultancy has also created the company brochure and video, which Adamson directed and wrote the music for.

Signage will be developed over the next six months and packaging will be a separate project. Both are being handled by Newell and Sorrell.

The merger of Sweden’s Pharmacia AB and the Upjohn Company in the US creates one of the five largest pharmaceuticals group in Europe, with some 30 000 employees.