Enel, the Italian multinational energy company, introduced its current visual identity in January 2016 as part of a global rebrand centered on the concept of “Open Power.” The new identity was unveiled in Madrid at the headquarters of Spanish subsidiary Endesa, alongside a new corporate website.[1]
Design and History
The 2016 identity was created by global creative consultancy Wolff Olins, with support from agencies including Huge and Saatchi & Saatchi.[2] The rebranding effort was led by Enel’s communications director Ryan O’Keeffe.[3]
According to Chris Moody, creative director at Wolff Olins, the design team explored how to visualize different kinds of power, including kinetic energy, physical phenomena and data-driven systems. The result placed a “cursor” at the heart of the brand, described as “the starting point of an energy that is always moving, and visually echoes the core behind the power of a light bulb, the filament.”[4]
Each letter in the new wordmark consists of a cursor followed by a colorful trail of energy, with the logo’s shape created by the movement of the cursors.[5] The new visual identity and logo use a host of colors to reflect the variety of the energy spectrum.[6]
Enel CEO Francesco Starace described the new logo as “fresh, colorful, vital, technological and closely linked to digital communication,” reflecting the values of the group and the “Open Power” industrial strategy.[3]
Before the 2016 redesign, Enel had used a tree-shaped logo since 1998, designed by graphic designer Bob Noorda. That mark was described as a metaphor of robust serenity, with solid roots of a company that comes from afar and expands across territory, a canopy evoking light, warmth and the strength of the sun, and branches suggesting the multiplicity of services offered from a single trunk.[7]
Meaning and Symbolism
At the core of the new brand expression sits the cursor, described by Enel as “an iconic visual symbol that represents Open Power.”[5] The cursor informs the look and feel of the brand and creates a consistent design language across all applications.[5]
The multicolor logo embodies energy and modernity, with its unique design making it easily recognizable and symbolizing strength and reliability, according to Enel’s visual identity guidelines.[8] Eight colors were used for the Enel logo, along with various color gradients representing energy and continuous movement.[9]
Typography and Design
Enel describes its new logo as “a modern and highly recognisable word mark.” The unique typography has been used throughout all Enel brands, including Enel Green Power and Endesa.[5] The primary logo is the multicolor version, with a solid shape designed to improve visibility and make it more distinctive.[8]
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