BOC
1967
Outward sign
In the mid-1960s, the British Oxygen Corporation was seen as a worthy, rather conservative supplier of oxygen in cylinders. In fact, it was a huge complex of industries, technologically advanced, intelligently managed, and global in outlook. To realise its true value, it needed, in the words of Wolff Olins, ‘an outward and visible sign of a new inner vitality’.
Red company
The first step was to change the emphasis from the company’s full name to its initials, BOC. We created a design which showed the initials in white on red above a series of diagonal stripes. And – in an early example of rigorous corporate identity work – we took the design across everything BOC touched, from letters to tankers, brochures to pieces of equipment. We rationalised forms and stationery, saved a great deal of day-to-day design decision making, and unified the businesses around the world – early manifestations of the benefits of corporate identity. BOC became a red company, confident and aggressive.
New confidence
This groundbreaking work gave BOC a jolt, a new confidence, a sense that the giant was awakening. And the giant grew, eventually becoming part of the Linde Group in 2006. The only change to their brand came in 1988 when Wolff Olins were asked to ammend the brand but retain the visual identity. Still, more than 40 years on, BOC uses the name, colour and a variation on the stripes that Wolff Olins devised back in 1967.
