Cision

New:  Name, logo and overbranding strategy

Launched:  April 2, 2007

Story in brief:
Like its competitor VNU, which recently rebranded as Nielsen, the Stockholm-based Observer Group has elected to regroup its disparate businesses under "one common name, and a uniform profile across all markets." But where VNU could chose to adopt its best brand name, Observer felt it had no comparable asset and chose the harder (and bolder) path of name creation.

Previously, "Observer" was one of ten acquired company names used in various countries to market diverse "reputation tracking and media research services" (like PR clippings). But if your vision is to offer a seamless spectrum counsel as well as data to multinational clients, this was clearly a counterproductive branding strategy.

 The Cision name will replace such media services brands as Bacon's Information and Delahaye in the U.S., Bowdens and Verbatim in Canada, and the overly passive "Observer" name throughout Europe.  Said CEO Flyborg, "Operating under a common brand, we enhance our global leadership, increase efficiency, strengthen our competitiveness and create better conditions for profitable growth."

Credits:
C.E.O. - Niklas Flyborg, President and CEO
Identity counsel, naming, and design - Landor (principally Chicago)
 

First Impressions:
Name: In about three seconds, I got past "this sounds odd and looks incomplete" and got to "I get it,  precision... What do they do?"  followed shortly by "Oh; how appropriate!" It is thus a name that should seat very quickly.
Design: Clean, elegant and to the point (all three of them, flying in unison).