A global marque for co-operatives has been unveiled by the International Co-operative Alliance. The co-operative logo, designed by a British co-operative, has been launched at the Alliance’s Global Conference in Cape Town.
Calverts, the London-based creative co-operative, was commissioned in March by the ICA to create the common identity. Building on the momentum created by the International Year of Co-operatives and the widespread use of the logo, the ICA has led on this initiative as part of its Blueprint for a Co-operative Decade initiative.
The Blueprint focuses on key areas of development of co-operatives, including an extended chapter on identity, to ensure the business model is one of the fastest growing by the end of this decade.
Dame Pauline Green, President of the International Co-operative Alliance, said: “This new brand or identifier that we have produced is something that we believe there is a real thirst for around the world and has been for some time. When we had the UN logo everybody around the world used it.”
Designed by Calverts, with support from the Barcelona- and Buenos Aires-based Guerrini Island Design, the branding has been designed with feedback provided by co-operators around the world. The process has been overseen by the ICA’s communications committee, which is chaired by Co-operatives UK Secretary General Ed Mayo.
Mr Mayo said: “The idea of a common marque for the co-operative movement is implicit in many of the images we associate with co-operatives over time. The wheat sheaf, the bees, circles, hands, the rainbow- all of these has been images that have helped to unite the co-operative movement over time.
“Many of those predate the modern world of branding. the exciting side of the new co-operative marque is that it takes the idea of a single visual identity that can be used and shared by co-operative enterprise right across the world.
“The great quality of the co-operative marque, is you look at it and immediately you think yes that’s us. That’s who we are.”
In April, the Co-operative Global Identity Survey gathered over 1,000 views from 86 countries from those within the movement. It asked people to choose colours that they best associated with co-operatives, along with what it means to be a co-operative.
The results from the survey have been fed into the design process that has produced the final marque, colour palette, slogan and brand language, this is something that all co-operatives can align with and which will differentiate them from other forms of business.
“The ICA is going to use the new identifier as part of its new brand. It’s our new corporate identity and we will use that in all part of the ICA around the world.”
Dame Pauline added: “I would say to co-operators I believe that this is a marque that I think you can identify with. It says who you are – nobody else can use it”.
“I believe that bona fide co-operatives who stick to their principles and good governance and member ownership should be using this to prove that they are a good, sound, co-operative businesses who subscribe and aspire to the principles of the global co-operative movement.”
Courtesy: Co-operative News