5 questions for Pascal Omnès, Group Communications Director.
What was the context behind the creation of SPIE’s new visual identity in 2006?
2006 was a pivotal moment in the Group’s history. We were emerging from the AMEC SPIE era and regaining our independence with the support of a financial partner as part of our first LBO*. We felt both a great sense of pride in returning to our historic name, SPIE, whilst giving it a new visual identity, and a strong determination to look to the future. In other words, a new logo for a new adventure!
We wanted to express a new collective ambition: that of a growing European group, recognised for its technical expertise and ready to open a new chapter in its development. The visual identity was to be the visible symbol of this rebirth and of the Group’s ability to write its own history.
What were the key principles that guided the design choices for the new logo?
Our priority was to recapture the strength of the historic name, SPIE – familiar to several generations of employees, clients and partners – whilst breathing new life into it. We commissioned an Italian graphic design agency to create a logo. We were looking for something simple, modern and enduring. And, of course, something that would be visible on our work sites!
Today, 20 years on from the logo’s launch, the red dot on the ‘i’ in SPIE – an iconic element of our identity – is almost enough on its own to evoke our company. It represents energy, movement and the range of expertise and cultures within our Group. We wanted an identity that would be recognisable in every country where SPIE operates and robust enough to support the Group’s long-term development.
What role did the logo play in the Group’s transformation?
The logo is the visible part of a broader corporate project. Indeed, the communications department had previously carried out an extensive consultation exercise with employee, clients and other stakeholders. This work had revealed a strong attachment to the company and its historic name, recognition of our professionalism, and a need to clarify the development strategy championed by the management. This collaborative effort was even more important given that SPIE was the subject of considerable interest from its competitors, which was widely reported in the press every week for over six months!
It was against this backdrop that our tagline was born: “SPIE, sharing a vision for the future”. Before becoming the Group’s corporate tagline, it featured in the launch campaign for our new brand identity, whose slogan was: “More SPIE than ever!”.
Armed with a new logo and a new corporate tagline, SPIE thus paved the way to becoming Europe’s leading independent provider of multi-technical services in the energy and communications sectors, supporting the energy, digital and industrial transitions.
How did you organise the roll-out of the new identity across the Group?
We had to create a new identity in a very short space of time, between late July and September 2006, and then organise an ‘express’ roll-out across several countries, at hundreds of sites, without disrupting day-to-day operations.
I particularly remember the exceptional commitment shown by the teams in the field. The rebranding became a truly collective endeavour. Employees were proud to see the SPIE name reappear on their buildings, vehicles, documents… and, of course, their business cards! This widespread support from everyone contributed significantly to the success of the roll-out.
Looking back twenty years on, how do you view this visual identity launched in 2006?
The best measure of its success is undoubtedly its longevity. SPIE has changed. Its business lines have evolved. More than one in two employees is now a shareholder in the company. The Group has undergone a major transformation and grown spectacularly: two LBOs, an IPO, over 170 acquisitions… not to mention, for the more nostalgic ones, the 2004 sale of Spie Batignolles, the SPIE Group’s former construction subsidiary – a ‘cousin’ with whom we share a glorious past and which remains in the collective memory of many French people.
Twenty years on, our visual identity remains instantly recognisable and continues to embody SPIE’s vision. It has accompanied a period of strong growth for the Group whilst maintaining a link with its history.
This is exactly what we were looking for in 2006: an identity that was not merely a graphic design, but a lasting landmark. So, as Alexandre Dumas might perhaps have said in *Twenty Years After*: “One thing is certain: the adventure continues!”