New brand: Naval Group and Seenk take their first Top/Com design award

Future australian submarine

26 April 2018 Group Communication News

On 28 June 2017, DCNS became Naval Group. This rebranding is today acknowledged by the Top/Com gold award in the global design category. Claire Allanche, director of Communication, and Clément Derock, cofounder of the Seenk agency, Naval Group’s partner for this project, give their insights on this success. Claire, why did you choose the Seenk agency? Claire Allanche: “The old name lacked meaning, readability, notoriety and no longer matched the group’s identity. To bring our success into the light, pursue our strategic objectives, in particular our international growth, and recruit new talent, we needed to free ourselves from this hindrance and create a ‘development’ brand. We needed the appropriate support to prepare a change of this scale. We were convinced by the capacity of Seenk to rise to this ambitious challenge: a change of name at the service of the group’s strategy. Their power to conceptualise the project was an excellent driver to transition from a French institution to a global brand.” Clément, what interested you in this assignment? Clément Derock: "The challenge of rebranding for DCNS was as much a question of the company’s legacy, still in transition, as the need for internationalisation to face global competition. These issues were exciting challenges to address. Furthermore, the support of the Executive Committee right from the start of the project allowed us to deploy the new brand in a radical manner, accentuating its impact. We wanted to develop this heritage expressing France’s sovereignty by lending status to a simple, clear and effective brand. The aim was to incarnate the activities of the group, its ability to successfully face challenges and capture the attention of best new talents.” What are you most proud of, eight months after the announcement? Clément Derock: “The teams at Seenk are happy to have contributed to the evolution of the representation of a flagship of French industry. The Top/Com gold award, which represents the recognition of the profession for the work accomplished, is a source of great pride for all that have worked on this unifying project.” Claire Allanche: “It was an audacious move to change the name of such a unique company. We built this project from the ground up, without preconceptions. The very positive feedback received from our clients, partners and above all our employees, and now this Top/Com award demonstrates that the challenge was successfully overcome! I feel very proud to see how quickly everyone has taken on board this new brand.”