Fishburn creates union logo

Merging trade unions Amicus and T&G have unveiled their new brand identity by Fishburn Hedges Design. Unite, as the organisation will be called from today, becomes the country’s largest union.



Merging trade unions Amicus and T&G have unveiled their new brand identity by Fishburn Hedges Design. Unite, as the organisation will be called from today, becomes the country’s largest union.



FHD is launching the brand this afternoon with a series of mock-up photos of the visual identity projected on to buildings around the country.



The name change – decided without a vote – proved controversial, even provoking senior members of the T&G union to call for a ballot on the new name at a meeting last Wednesday. Any opposition could have proved disastrous, since it has been reported that significant sums of money had already been spent on the reorganisation. However, the decision to rename was eventually ratified.



FHD, which was appointed to begin a review of the merger last summer, has created an identity it claims plays on the traditional flag imagery associated with unions but gives it a dramatic contemporary twist. The imagery will appear across a range of applications, from stationery, lapel badges and banners to signage, corporate publications and the new website.



Adrian Day, managing director of FHD, said, ‘In creating the identity we eliminated several alternatives to arrive at a design that we feel is truly unique from the competition. The visual identity is simple and clear and will be accompanied by a set of brand guidelines to ensure continuity in its application across the entire union.’




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  • Sue Taylor - UNISON Head of Design November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I am bemused by the similarity between UNISON’s logo and the new identity unveiled at the launch of Unite 1 May 2007.

    More surprising is the claim made by Adrian Day, managing director of FHD, ‘In creating the identity we eliminated several alternatives to arrive at a design that we feel is truly unique from the competition.’

    UNISON’s logo and corporate identity was designed and produced in-house 14 year’s ago – when COHSE NALGO and NUPE merged. In designing UNISON’s identity my intention – stated at the time – was to symbolise the uniting of the three unions through the three streamers joining into one, whilst echoing traditional trade union banners.

    So where is Mr Day’s ‘truly unique’..? (To quote a character from Alan Partridge – one is either unique or not… there are no degrees of uniqueness.)

    Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery – but I wouldn’t mind a cut of Fishburn Hedges fee.

    Sue Taylor
    Head of Design
    UNISON the public service union

  • adrian day November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    It’s a fair cop on the ‘truly unique’ statement, but I really can’t see any visual similarity between the Unison and the Unite marks – they look very different.

    Informal feedback from the union world has been very positive – and it was great to see Unite banners at the front of the May Day rally!

  • sue Taylor November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am
  • SmartFolio November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I agree, well said. Very good web site.

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