Equitable Holdings, the New York-based financial services company formerly known as AXA Equitable Holdings, introduced its current logo in January 2020 when it dropped the “AXA” from its name and began operating as an independent U.S. company. The mark features a stylized image of the Greek goddess Athena, a figure that had been a consistent element of the company’s visual identity for over 160 years. In the new logo, Athena appears in a modern form, facing forward to signal optimism, empowerment and progression, according to the company’s announcement. [1]
Design and History
The company was founded in 1859 as The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. It was acquired by Paris-based AXA S.A. in 1992 and operated as AXA Equitable Life for nearly three decades. [2] Equitable Holdings began its path to independence in May 2018 with an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange, and in March 2019 AXA exited its position as majority stakeholder. [2]
The rebrand was unveiled on January 14, 2020. The company’s chief marketing officer, Kathryn Ferrero, said the image of Athena in the new logo shows the goddess “facing forward with confidence embodying a warm and human presence,” and that together the name Equitable and the symbol of Athena reflect the company’s mission and values. [3] The brand was carried through the company’s subsidiaries as well as its parent company, Equitable Holdings. [4]
The brand design work was led by the consultancy Prophet, with brand designer Madeleine Mary contributing to the launch as part of the Prophet team. [5]
Meaning and Symbolism
According to the company’s official website, Athena has been part of Equitable’s story since 1859 and symbolizes the elements at the heart of the company’s mission: courage, strength and wisdom. [6] The company’s 2020 announcement described Athena as “a timeless symbol of courage, strength and wisdom” appearing in the new logo “in a modern form and facing forward to signal optimism, empowerment and progression.” [1]
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office registration for the Equitable Holdings mark describes the logo as “a circle enclosing a partial outline of a woman. The woman is shown in profile, in a toga, and holding a shield,” with the words “EQUITABLE HOLDINGS” in capital letters below. [7]
Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
