Danone, the French multinational food company, introduced its current corporate logo in 2017 alongside its first-ever company signature, “One Planet. One Health.” The mark is a revisited version of the “child contemplating a star” emblem that had represented the brand since 1994, redesigned to reflect the company’s vision that human health and planetary health are inseparable.[1]
Design and History
Danone’s origins trace to 1919, when Isaac Carasso began producing yogurt in Barcelona using ferments from the Institut Pasteur to help children with intestinal infections.[1] The company name derives from the nickname “Danon” of Carasso’s son Daniel.[2]
The child looking up at a star became Danone’s emblem in 1994, the year the group BSN was renamed Danone.[2] Prior to that, from 1972, the company had maintained a similar logo and brand identity featuring the company name in white on a blue background within a rectangular-like shape.[3]
In 2017, Danone unveiled a new logo and its first corporate signature, “One Planet. One Health.”[1] The redesign was undertaken by London-based Conran Design Group, which was appointed in February 2017 after pitching for the work in November 2016.[4] The new identity was introduced on 7 July 2017 and began to be endorsed by Danone brands from 2018.[3]
The redesign was undertaken to incorporate the brand’s new “One Planet. One Health” commitment, a sustainable approach encouraging more nutritious and sustainable eating and drinking habits.[3] The corporate signature itself was developed with the advertising agency BETC.[2]
Meaning and Symbolism
In the 2017 redesign, the child in the logo, who had looked to the left since 1994, now looks to the right, toward the future, with a warmer and more optimistic expression.[5] The creative solution was realized through a watercolour and hand-drawn treatment, described by Conran as embracing “the earth, water and the planet as a whole and communicating a strong sense of humanity.”[4] The child is now more lifelike, natural and expressive, with a stronger connection to the star, conveying renewed optimism and aspiration for the future.[4]
The star represents the sustainable ambitions the company has for the future, while the child looking upward symbolizes those ambitions and sustainability goals.[3] The new logo and signature were designed to instill a positive dynamic of change while remaining faithful to the pioneering spirit that has always animated the company.[1]
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