Valaris Limited is a global offshore contract drilling company formed through the 2019 merger of Ensco plc and Rowan Companies. The company retired both legacy brand names and introduced an entirely new identity, Valaris, on July 31, 2019, when Ensco Rowan plc officially changed its name and began trading under the ticker symbol VAL. [1]
Design and History
The Valaris brand was created by the Denver-based brand consultancy Monigle, which was engaged to develop the identity following the merger of Ensco and Rowan. [2] According to Monigle, the new brand was designed to create “a sleek, sophisticated brand expression in a category that at times did not convey the cutting-edge nature of the technology that was utilized.” The identity was intended to serve as “a powerful identifier of an exciting merger” and “a banner for all employees to be proud of.” [2]
Initially, the merged company planned to follow the conventional M&A route of combining the two legacy names into “EnscoRowan” to preserve brand equity and convey continuity. However, leadership chose instead to retire both legacy brands and create an entirely new identity, a decision Monigle credits with unifying the culture by putting all employees on equal footing without favoring either legacy brand. [3]
The name Valaris was selected following a comprehensive process that included participation from employees around the world, feedback from customers, and market research. [1] The work earned Monigle a Gold award in the “Best corporate rebrand following a merger or acquisition” category at the Transform Awards North America 2019. [4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The Valaris name was inspired by the Latin root meaning strength, courage, and signifying something of value. [1] The name also carries phonetic similarity to “valour,” which reflects the courage of the company’s employees. [5] The brand platform adopted by the company is “Boldly First,” which the CEO said would act as “a catalyst to achieve our ambition to be ‘Boldly First’ as the leader in the offshore services industry.” [1]
Monigle states that all of the design elements within the Valaris brand system work in conjunction to reflect the “Boldly First” platform. [2]
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