Aetna is an American managed health care company offering medical, dental, pharmacy and behavioral health insurance, and it has operated as a subsidiary of CVS Health since the completion of the CVS Health acquisition in late 2018. The company’s visual identity has undergone several documented redesigns, most recently in 2019 when the CVS Health heart symbol was added to the Aetna wordmark.
Design and History
Aetna’s current logo, introduced in January 2019, incorporates the CVS Health heart icon into the Aetna wordmark. According to Aetna Medicare producer communications, the new logo was adopted after Aetna became part of the CVS Health enterprise, with the heart icon serving as a symbol of the company’s purpose of helping people on their path to better health. This update marked the first time in Aetna’s history that its logo incorporated a symbol rather than a purely typographic treatment. [1] [2]
Before the CVS Health integration, Aetna’s most significant recent redesign came in January 2012, when the company unveiled a new lowercase logo designed by the New York-based brand consultancy Siegel+Gale. [3] The 2012 identity replaced a dark blue serif mark and introduced a purple, all-lowercase wordmark, a color choice described as unusual for an insurance company at the time. [4] The rebrand was part of Aetna’s repositioning from an “insurance carrier” to a “health solutions company,” accompanied by a new brand promise: “With Aetna, the power of health is in your hands.” [5]
The 2012 wordmark was custom-drawn. Mike Abbink, who worked with the Siegel+Gale team on the project, is credited with the wordmark design, with Doug Sellers serving as creative director and Henricus Kusbiantoro credited for the identity system. [6]
Meaning and Symbolism
The most documented symbolic element in Aetna’s identity is the ligature, the connected “a” and “e” in the company’s name. This ligature was used in the Aetna logo for 151 years before being retired in 2001, and it was restored in the 2012 redesign. According to Siegel+Gale’s design team, the inclusion of the connecting letters symbolically addressed Aetna’s 160-year history, its dedication to building relationships, and the brand promise of a connected health care experience. [6] Aetna’s own communications described the ligature as intended to highlight a truly connected health care experience. [7]
The 2019 addition of the CVS Health heart icon was described by Aetna Medicare as a symbol of the company’s purpose of helping people on their path to better health and its commitment to transforming the health care experience. [1]
Typography and Design
The 2012 redesign changed Aetna’s logo font from a variation of Bodoni to a new custom-designed lettering. The new mark was set entirely in lowercase letters. [8] The custom-drawn wordmark was necessary because the Siegel+Gale team realized the wordmark had to be custom-drawn to reflect the team’s vision for the brand. [6]
According to Aetna’s official logo guidelines for external partners, the Aetna logo is available in violet, white and black, with the violet version designated for use whenever possible. A black version is available for black-and-white printed materials only. [9]
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