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Rebranded financial services firms dominate Transform Awards shortlist

LONDON, 1 FEBRUARY 2011 – The shortlist for the 2011 Transform Awards has been announced, with financial services firms featuring most heavily in the running.

Now in their second year, the Transform awards are the UK’s only dedicated celebration of rebranding, brand transformation and reputational change. And several of this year’s hopefuls come from a sector that was understandably keen to alter perceptions. 

Transform Awards Logo

Two years on from the economic crisis, it seems that financial services firms have raced to rebrand and reposition themselves in order to address growing problems with their reputation. Entrants from the sector far outnumber those from other sectors on the awards shortlist: Hermes, Allianz Insurance, BDO, Imaqliq, Zurich Financial Services, Legal & General, Ageas and PwC are all up for prizes.

Communicate’s publisher Andrew Thomas said: “An effective rebrand is more than just a cosmetic brand refresh or a snazzy new logo. It’s a transformation of the values, strategy and DNA of an organisation. Done properly, it can help to radically shift stakeholder perceptions, so it’s hardly surprising financial services firms have taken it seriously.”

Judged by a jury of branding experts, communications practitioners and academics, the Transform 2011 Awards are organised by Communicate magazine, the UK’s leading magazine for corporate communications and stakeholder relations. 

The awards recognise best practice in corporate, product, regional and national rebrands, with categories that focus on strategy, execution, content and evaluation. The 2011 awards were, for the first time, open to entrants from anywhere in Europe and were for brand transformations launched between April 2009 and December 2010.

The full shortlist is below and the winners will be announced at a gala dinner on 7 April at The Grange St Paul’s Hotel, London.

Communicate publisher Andrew Thomas is available for comment.
020 7193 8656 / 07899 793 248
Andrew.thomas@communicatemagazine.co.uk

Content 
Best overall visual identity 
Balfour Beatty WorkPlace (The Workroom)
Imaqliq (Heavenly Group)
Labormed (Grapefruit)
Royal Opera House (SomeOne) 

Best brand architecture solution 
Rovi (Heavenly)
Glasgow Life ( Tayburn)
Invensys (Landor Associates) 

Best use of copy style/tone of voice 
Balfour Beatty WorkPlace (The Workroom)
LV= (Red Lorry Yellow Lorry)
 
Process 
Best external stakeholder relations during a rebrand 
Glasgow Life (Tayburn) 

Best internal communication of a rebrand 
Allianz Insurance
BDO (Fairley & Associates, Greentarget)
Hermes (Radley Yeldar)
KC 

Best implementation of a rebrand 
BDO (Fairley & Associates, Greentarget)
EEF (Rufus Leonard)
Rovi (Heavenly Group)
 
Strategy 
Best creative strategy 
Balfour Beatty WorkPlace (The Workroom)
McDonald's (Interbrand)
Rovi (Heavenly Group)

Best brand evolution 
bpost (Interbrand Amsterdam)
BDO (Fairley & Associates, Greentarget)
Porter Novelli

Best integration of brand and business strategy 
Labormed (Grapefruit)
Zurich Financial Services (Prophet)
Hays (Interbrand)
McDonald's (Interbrand)
 
Outcome 
Greatest likely business impact of a rebrand 
Rovi (Heavenly Group)
UKTV
Lombard (Uffindell)
 
Type 
Best corporate rebrand following a merger or acquisition 
Ranstead Education (Friday's Media Group)
Age UK
Blizoo (Siegal+Gale) 

Best corporate rebrand to reflect changed mission/values/positioning 
Imaqliq (Heavenly Group)
Hays (Interbrand)
bpost (Interbrand Amsterdam)
BDO (Fairley & Associates, Greentarget) 

Best corporate rebrand for a spinoff/new company 
Exova (Appetite) 

Best brand consolidation 
Rovi (Heavenly Group) 

Best rebrand of a digital property 
Age UK
Legal & General (Fortune Cookie)
Ocean Sky (Omobono)

Best rebrand from the public sector 
bpost (Interbrand Amsterdam)

Best rebrand from a not-for-profit organisation 
Anthony Nolan
BRAC (CDT)
Home Heat Helpline (300million)
Crimestoppers (Bell)
Rugby Romania (Brandient)

Best rebrand of a region 
Invest in Cornwall (Bell)
Trentino Marketing SpA (Minale Tattersfield)

Best rebrand by sector 
Technology - Rovi (Heavenly Group)
Telecoms - COLT (Corporate Edge)
Financial Services - Allianz Insurance
Online Retail - eMAG (Brandient)
Marketing Services - Porter Novelli
Manufacturing - EEF (Rufus Leonard)
Facilities Management - Balfour Beatty WorkPlace (The Workroom)
Professional Services - PwC
Travel - P&O (Radley Yeldar)
Luxury Goods - Titoni (Branders)
Media - UKTV
 
Best rebrand by region 
Benelux - bpost (Interbrand Amsterdam)
CEE - Blizoo (Siegal+Gale)
Russia & Commonwealth of Independent States - Imaqliq (Heavenly Group)
 
Best multi-country rebrand (two or more countries) 
Ageas (Fish Can Dance)
Imaqliq (Heavenly Group) 

Best Global rebrand (multi-continent) 
Rovi (Heavenly Group)
Zurich Financial Services (Prophet)
Hays (Interbrand)
PwC