AkzoNobel has launched its new corporate brand. Symbolizing the
company's fundamental transformation and determination to lead
change, it embodies AkzoNobel's clear ambitions for the future and a
passionate commitment to deliver Tomorrow's Answers Today.
 
As well as a subtle name change and a revitalized, powerful logo, a
new brand architecture has also been introduced, along with updated
company values and a new brand philosophy. Together it creates one,
distinctive global brand and supports AkzoNobel's highly focused
strategic vision.
 
"This is the new AkzoNobel. We are one company, with a powerful new
global brand which will propel us into a new era of competitiveness
and opportunity," says CEO Hans Wijers. "Our new brand concept
typifies our desire to create new ideas. To stay one step ahead and
continually seek out new and better answers for our customers. It
means we think about the future, but we act in the present."
 
Wijers adds that the introduction of Tomorrow's Answers Today is
central to the new brand. "It is the heartbeat of the transformed
AkzoNobel. It drives our creativity, our product development and lies
at the core of all our activities. It will focus our efforts on
further strengthening our position as being the world's largest
paints and coatings producer and one of the leading global suppliers
of specialty chemicals.
 
"What does that concept mean exactly? It means we believe that what
is good for our customers today is not necessarily good enough for
them tomorrow. So that constant search for answers is what drives us.
It focuses the whole company and inspires us to achieve great things
for all our stakeholders, and for ourselves."
 
The decision to retain AkzoNobel as the company name was a strategic
one - based on extensive research - which indicated that the name
commanded too much value, heritage and respect for it to be
discarded. Therefore, ICI will be discontinued as a corporate name.
 
"The new brand is about creating brand equity, not destroying it,"
explains Wijers. "Our studies confirmed that there is considerable
value in the name of AkzoNobel. It is well respected throughout our
industries and is synonymous with trust and quality, so there was no
reason to change it. Our strategy now is to combine the strong
AkzoNobel business-to-business reputation with the former ICI's
excellent consumer brands reputation. This will create a powerful
brand with significant global reach and incredible potential for
growth.
 
"The logo, however, has changed. It was already a very strong and
distinctive asset, but it has been made more relevant for the 21st
century and now has a greater sense of power and energy. It is an
embodiment of our Tomorrow's Answers Today positioning." The chairman
adds that the logo will now be used to endorse all the company's
brands. The ICI logo, meanwhile, will continue to appear on relevant
products during the forthcoming migration period.
 
Also central to the whole positioning of the new AkzoNobel are its
five new company values, which provide the bedrock on which the new
brand is built.
 
They are as follows: focusing on our customers' future first;
embracing entrepreneurial thinking; developing the talents of our
people; the courage and curiosity to question and integrity and
responsibility in our actions.
 
"These company values determine how we operate and behave as
individuals and as a business," says Wijers. "They will be integrated
into all aspects of our operations to ensure that we continue to
excel and deliver outstanding service and value to all our
stakeholders. They will ensure that we remain a competitive and
exciting company committed to delivering Tomorrow's Answers Today."
 
Launched today at a special event held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands,
the new AkzoNobel brand will be rolled out globally during the next
18 months. A worldwide corporate advertising campaign is also
scheduled to start shortly.
 
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Note to editors
AkzoNobel is proud to be one of the world's leading industrial
companies. Based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, we make and supply a
wide range of paints, coatings and specialty chemicals - pro forma
2007 revenue totaled ?14.4 bln. In fact, we are the largest global
paints and coatings company. As a major producer of specialty
chemicals we supply industries worldwide with quality ingredients for
life's essentials. We think about the future, but act in the present.
We're passionate about introducing new ideas and developing
sustainable answers for our customers. That's why our 60,000
employees - who are based in more than 80 countries - are committed
to excellence and delivering Tomorrow's Answers Today.
 
Not for publication - for more information
Akzo Nobel nv
Corporate Media Relations, tel. +31 20 502 7833
Contact: Tim van der Zanden


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