BESTFOODS

New: Bestfoods name and logo

Launched: January 5, 1998

Formerly: CPC International

Story in brief:
Finally this sleeping beauty (meaning a caterpillar corporation, identitywise) emerges from its CPC initials cocoon, spinning off its corn refining business to redefine itself as a pure-play "brandmaster."  The idea -- spin out the low-valued corn commodity business (to be called Corn Products International) in hopes Wall Street will value the maker of Hellmanns mayonnaise and Skippy peanut butter at a brander's premium.

An existing brand name was chosen for its appropriateness as a new umbrella. Denis Riney, lead strategist for consultants Anspach Grossman Enterprise (itself in transition from Anspach Grossman Portugal to Enterprise IG) talked CEO Shoemate out of "Best Foods Worldwide," certain to become BFW, in favor of the more elegant one-word solution "Bestfoods." For the symbol, designer Gene Grossman borrowed a graphic device (and equity) from the Hellmann's label.

Credits:
C.E.O. - Charles R. Shoemate
Identity counsel and Design - Anspach Grossman Enterprise

First Impressions:
"Bestfoods" is a great new application for a fine old company-brand. The graphics evoke old Hellmann's imagery (but was a symbol really necessary?).