
2000
When VEBA and VIAG, two of Germany’s largest diverse groups, decided to merge, they embarked on a journey of transformation. The new business decided on a radically sharper focus: it would become a unified, single-minded energy business. With the global deregulation of power supply, this was a market with real growth potential. And to seize this potential, it decided to transform its business and ambition.
Wolff Olins was brought in to work on brand development. Our main task was to develop a new expression for the group brand. We set out to help build a mega-brand that would transform how employees felt about their company and present it as fast-moving, youthful and unbureaucratic. We created E.ON’s visual identity and its compelling warm character.
Launched in 2000, the brand worked as a driver for change. With ‘energy’ as its new focus, E.ON has since acquired and divested many businesses, including Powergen in the UK, Sydkraft in Sweden and OGK-4 in Russia. With annual sales of almost EUR 87 billion (2008) and over 93,000 employees, it is now the world’s largest investor-owned energy services provider. E.ON consistently produces one of the top five highest dividends out of the 30 companies comprising of DAX (The German Stock Index).