Ascential plc is a British business-to-business media company, formerly known as EMAP and later Top Right Group, that owns major events brands including Cannes Lions and Money20/20. The company has undergone two significant rebrands since 2016, each introducing a new name, logo and corporate identity.
Design and History
In January 2016, Top Right Group, the owner of Cannes Lions, rebranded as Ascential with a new name, logo and corporate identity. The rebrand was carried out by FCB, the integrated marketing communications company and owner of FCB Inferno. According to the company, the aim was to show “strong purpose” for the future of Ascential, which would focus on exhibitions and festivals as well as information services. The rebrand followed the completion of a three-year turnaround of the group that began in 2012, when a restructure at EMAP created Top Right Group under chief executive Duncan Painter. [1]
In June 2024, Ascential unveiled a new visual identity developed with the global agency DesignStudio. The rebrand followed the sale of Ascential’s digital commerce and product design businesses, leaving the company focused exclusively on events serving the marketing and fintech industries. DesignStudio was tasked with creating a brand identity that represented Ascential’s new events-led model while differentiating it from competitors. [2]
In October 2024, following Informa’s acquisition of Ascential, the company was rebranded as Informa Festivals, a new brand designed to oversee its creative, marketing and business festival brands. [3]
Meaning and Symbolism
The centrepiece of the 2024 rebrand was Ascential’s new logo, formed from five variable arrowheads converging to create a dynamic symbol, representing the meeting point of its events. [2] Design director David Moloney of DesignStudio explained that the new brand was built around “the power of convening at its events.” [2]
The 2024 identity was developed under the concept of “being at the centre of what’s next,” a strategic idea that positioned the brand across all its visual and verbal assets. [4]
Typography and Design
For the 2024 identity, DesignStudio created two custom typefaces: Rando, a serif typeface described as offering “human warmth,” and Yellix, a modern sans-serif designed for digital environments. [4]
The lead brand colour, Ascential Yellow, acted as a spotlight highlighting UI, typography and data to tell stories. [5] The colour palette combined charcoal and off-white as base colours, with vibrant accents inspired by Ascential’s sub-brands such as Cannes Lions. [4]
From the core logo concept, DesignStudio developed a full pattern design system that could flex from bold and directional compositions to radial, expressive ones. [6]
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