GSK plc, formerly GlaxoSmithKline, is a British biopharmaceutical company headquartered in London. In June 2022, the company unveiled a new brand identity designed by the brand consultancy Wolff Olins, introduced alongside its new purpose and strategy as it prepared to demerge its consumer healthcare business into the separate company Haleon.[1]
Design and History
The 2022 identity retained the GSK name and its well-known orange color, but modernized the logo’s presentation.[1] The previous logo used white letters against an orange background; the new version presents the text in orange with no background color, and the letters are now all uppercase and standalone.[2] The new logo is housed in a redesigned shape known as the “signal,” which is designed to always point the way ahead.[1]
The rebrand followed GSK’s new “Ahead Together” purpose and growth ambitions, as well as the proposed demerger that would make GSK a company focused entirely on biopharma innovation, while its consumer business, Haleon, would become an independent consumer healthcare company.[1] The identity was designed to reflect GSK’s new purpose, ambition, strategy, and culture.[1]
The new branding launched on 9 June 2022 and was rolled out across the business in the following months.[1]
Meaning and Symbolism
Inspired by imagery found in biosciences, the new identity features numerous curved forms that evoke the highly adaptable nature of the human immune system, acting as a reminder of the constant need to evolve and adapt.[1] GSK’s website stated that the “DNA twists” in the logo “take inspiration from the visual language of biosciences, genomic sequencing and data analysis, but still feel warm and human.”[3]
The identity system flexes, adapts, and moves to engage audiences across digital, social, and physical environments.[1] Emma Barratt, global executive creative director at Wolff Olins, said the ambition was to create a brand identity that signalled adaptability of the human immune system, of tech, and of GSK’s people, while balancing that with a need for warmth.[1]
Typography and Design
A custom typeface by Face37, utilizing ink traps for legibility, was commissioned for the identity.[1] Close attention to accessibility was paid throughout, with all assets tested for legibility both on-screen and in print.[1] The identity also contains a series of adaptable 3D forms enabling GSK to shape environments that suit all users.[1]
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