ABB (ASEA Brown Boveri)

ABB (ASEA Brown Boveri) is a Swedish-Swiss multinational corporation headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland, operating in power, automation, and robotics. The ABB Group was formed in 1988 through a merger between Asea AB and BBC Brown Boveri AG. Initially founded in 1883, Asea AB was a major player in the introduction of electricity in Sweden and the development of Sweden’s railway network. Brown Boveri & Cie. (later renamed BBC Brown Boveri AG) was formed in Switzerland in 1891 and initially specialized in power generation and turbines. In the early to mid-1900s, it expanded its operations throughout Europe and broadened its business operations to include a wide range of electrical engineering activities.

ABB is one of the most successful brands. Like most successful brands, ABB branding is very visual. For example, the company logo is the primary visual symbol of the ABB brand. It symbolizes their strong heritage, innovation and industry expertise that ABB provides. If you’ve ever seen an ABB product in the field, the first thing you’ll notice is how prominently and consistently it uses its logo across all product lines.

ABB uses its logo with a trademarked claim “Power and productivity for a better world” that communicates its brand proposition clearly and reiterates its leadership position in power and automation space.

ABB Brand Identity

When it comes to branding, a logo is not just a graphic symbol but a far more meaningful and powerful tool. Like other brands, ABB has adopted strict usage guidelines and single source documentation on its logo usage to ensure consistency.

Logo Usage

ABB has two distinct variations when it comes to logo usage. The standard version of the logo features the logo in red, with the claim in gray to the left or right of the logo. ABB uses its standard version for all communication media channels.

Additionally, ABB allows an exception use for its logo with claim featured underneath the symbol. This version is strictly limited to marketing and branding usage where the width of implementation materials prohibits the use of the standard logo version. For example, exceptional case applications include skyscraper banners, event banners, etc.

An effective branding strategy is often flexible without being ambiguous. ABB has adopted a flexible logo usage when it comes to different online and offline media channels. However, company restricts the minimum size for print to ensure legibility and effectiveness of its logo usage. For example, company prohibits the use of the light version for sizes smaller than 7 mm in height. Also, the bold version without claim should not be printed at sizes smaller than 3 mm.

How It All Comes Together

Brand identity is evolutionary in nature and every brand must evolve with time. ABB is no exception to this rule. From logo positioning to protective field setting, it all gets refined and tweaked as new media channels influence the usage. However, this evolution must be progressive and natural to preserve the brand equity and brand authenticity.

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