Informa is a British international events, digital services and academic research group, formed in 1998 through the merger of IBC Group plc and Lloyd’s of London Press. The company’s corporate visual identity centers on a typographic wordmark paired with a distinctive roundel-based icon called the Orbit, which has been described as an entry-level application of the Informa logo across its offices and brand materials. [1] [2]
Design and History
Informa’s current group brand identity dates to 2019. According to the company’s own history page, as part of its Accelerated Integration Plan following the 2018 acquisition of UBM, Informa updated its Group brand identity and the identities of several business divisions, also creating a new fifth operating division, Informa Tech. [1] The 2019 logo is documented in the company’s 2019 Annual Report. [3]
In the same period, Informa’s exhibitions division, formerly known as Informa Exhibitions, was renamed Informa Markets and introduced a new name and brand identity on 30 April 2019. The company stated the new identity reflected the continued expansion of its services beyond exhibitions into data, digital products and specialist content, as well as the combination with UBM’s event-focused brands in 2018. [4]
More recently, the brand has undergone a refresh. The design studio Nalla documented work consolidating several versions of the Orbit logo to ensure legibility at all sizes, alongside a refined logo, a wider colour palette for data visualisation, new brand assets and motion principles for digital platforms. [5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The Orbit icon is a roundel-based symbol used as part of the Informa logo. Its visual language has been explored in interior branding applications, where the dot motif was used to reflect the different-sized dots that appear in the logo itself. Informa’s brand materials frequently reference the concept of being “connected”, including messages such as “connecting knowledge”, “connecting ideas”, “connecting people” and “connecting places”. [2]
Typography and Design
Informa’s identity is primarily typographic, with the wordmark taking center stage. The brand refresh work by Nalla focused on refining the logo and ensuring legibility across digital platforms, though specific typeface details have not been publicly documented in the available sources. [5]
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