CDG brightens up Thorn’s identity as part of revamp

Conran Design Group has repositioned 70-year-old lighting company Thorn Lighting, with a revamped corporate identity which launches this week.

The identity work is part of a longer term relationship with Thorn and is initially worth a five-figure sum, says CDG 2D design director Sasha Vidakovic. The logo was unveiled to employees on Monday prior to a public launch.

It will be implemented gradually worldwide and will be applied initially across marketing material, stationery and signage. A redesigned website and exhibition material will follow in the future and the project could extend to packaging, according to Vidakovic.

The catalyst for the rebrand was the merger of Thorn Lighting and Austrian lighting company Zumtobel in March 2000, says Vidakovic. As a result of the merger, there was a ‘slight overlap’ in certain product areas and Zumtobel claimed the premium end of the market, he adds.

The old marque did not reflect the nature of Thorn’s business, either, Vidakovic says. Dark corporate colours in blue, red and green were in ‘direct contrast to the nature of the business [lighting]’, and the three different versions of the logo were often misused.

‘The shape and colours of the old logo did not express Thorn’s values and its colour variations were too subdued,’ he says.

CDG has introduced a bright-red colour scheme and created only one version of the identity, which can be used at different sizes. A secondary colour palette aims to complement the core colourway.

The group was approached by Thorn Lighting.

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