Anglo American is a global mining company headquartered in London, with a portfolio spanning copper, premium iron ore, crop nutrients, nickel, diamonds and steelmaking coal.[1] The company traces its origins to the Anglo American Corporation, founded in South Africa in 1917, and the separately listed Anglo American plc established in London in 1999.[2]
Design and History
When the renamed Anglo American plc was formed in 1999, the company planned to introduce a new corporate identity created by London design consultancy The Partners. The identity was designed to move away from the geometric symbols commonly used in the mining sector at the time.[3]
In 2010, Anglo American introduced a new corporate visual identity developed by Interbrand. The rebrand was part of a strategy to unify all of the group’s business units under a single “one Anglo American” positioning, strengthening the parent brand and maximizing the value of the Group.[4] As part of the change, the company name in the logotype was written as a single word, “ANGLOAMERICAN”, without spaces.[5] The new identity was rolled out across the group through 2010 and consolidated in 2011, including the launch of a new corporate website.[6]
The current mark, as described in a US trademark registration, consists of triangle shapes nested inside one another, with the word “ANGLOAMERICAN” in a stylized font to the right.[7]
Meaning and Symbolism
Anglo American’s own communications describe the symbolism of the current mark in specific terms. The red center of the “stone” reflects the heart and talent of all the people who are part of Anglo American. The central link represents the values and structure of the organization that support its people, while the outer link represents the communities and other stakeholders that define the company’s responsibilities.[4] The company’s 2010 report to society similarly noted that the central link of the stone was given a red tone as a reference to the fact that people are at the center of the company.[5]
Earlier iterations of the Anglo American identity also used red and blue. A flag described for the Anglo American Corporation of South Africa features the company logo in the center of a white field, comprising a stylized mineral rock in the corporate colors of red and blue adjacent to the company name.[2]
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