Story in brief:
It's a "merger of equals," of professional service firms with a roster of somewhat intangible services ("Benefits / Risk and Financial Services / Talent and Rewards"), seeking greater clarity, scale, clout and presence in a market dominated by giants like Accenture.

Interbrand won (over Landor and BrandLogic) the straightforward identity assignment: "Effect the merger, presenting a fresh and engaging face to the world, while shifting both employee and customer loyalty from the heritage brands to the new brand. "

The name decision having already made by the client (farewell, Perrin and Wyatt), Interbrand had only to design the logo — and proposed a symbol-dominated solution based on 'TW' initials.

By scribbling these initials, Interbrand in effect invented a person and invited all 14,000 employees to occupy him, and to own him. The effect is extended by creation of a new typeface, in "TW's" own handwriting. (It's named Clarity, oddly enough; see below). As Interbrand puts it, "The new logo represents each Towers Watson’s employees’ personal commitment to its customers by 'putting their names on the line' with a personal signature of the company... The organic, hand-drawn nature of the logo and graphic system creates a personal and distinctive look amidst the impersonal corporate language of its competitors. "

The new global HQ, incidentally, is in NYC, a significant identity decision (in that it is neither Arlington, VA nor Stamford, CT.)

Credits:
C.E.O. - John Haley
Identity counsel and design - Interbrand; Craig Stout, Creative Dir. (NY)

Launch day at the New York Stock Exchange

First Impressions:
Naming: Hello, Towers; can I call you Tom? Flippancy aside, it's hard to knock this straightforward name solution: though it lacks the more distinctive "Perrin" we will all learn it pretty quickly.
Design: A fresh idea, conceptually a bit light, even risky (is he/are they for real?) but visually appealing, and if executed with confidence and sustained with quality, it should work. Initial applications look great.

Here's Clarity, a 'special use' type. (The system also specifies Franklin Gothic and Bembo):

Corporate Brand Matrix ratings:
70% structural, 30% strategic, 0% functional (est.)

Replacing ..

CEO John Haley

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