Wolff Olins' rebrand for The Economist Group builds on its 'editorial integrity' beyond journalism

Did you know that aside from journalism, The Economist Group spans executive education, data, research and forecasting, events, custom content and a lot more – all operating separately from its magazine-style news publication? But the rapid growth of these additional services risked diluting The Economist's editorial independence, according to the London brand consultancy.

The challenge, therefore, was to bring clarity to the Group's offer without severing its link with its newspaper. Yet it needed to be done in a way that didn't undermine the independence of the iconic journalism brand.

Wolff Olins responded to the brief by creating a new brand architecture and refreshed design system that identifies that all parts of the Group share The Economist's commitment to progress. "We did this by simplifying its portfolio down to four core brands: Economist Impact, Economist Intelligence, Economist Education and, of course, The Economist," explains the agency. "These four brands are united under a shared mission and brand narrative, applying a shared set of experience principles – rigour, integrity, clarity and wit – to the way they serve their different audiences."

Wolff Olins' rebrand allows The Economist Group to safeguard the editorial independence of The Economist while bolstering the growth of its pillar offers. "Equipping each of their four core brands with their own value propositions and visual assets paves the way for the Group to continue its role in helping businesses, organisations and the world to pursue progress," it says.

Kim Miller from The Economist Group adds: "Wolff Olins was a true partner in our effort to drive change for our organisation. They deeply understood the DNA of The Economist, our unique businesses and the need to bring our brands to life in a different way. Input from our customers, clients and prospects was at the heart of this fantastic work."