Chicago based Strategy and Operations firm A.T. Kearney is now Kearney as part of the firm’s comprehensive rebrand.
The new brand emphasizes the humanity that clients, colleagues, and alumni value most in the firm, according to Abby Klanecky, Partner and Chief marketing Officer at Kearney.
The new brand was shaped primarily by client perspectives—what they find distinctive and valuable in Kearney people, the way its professionals work, and how the firm contributes to client success. As part of a comprehensive review of Kearney’s existing brand and value proposition, select clients provided feedback that helped define the firm’s authentic approach. Firm partners, colleagues, and alumni contributed to shaping the new brand messaging, visual identity, and a highly personal storytelling approach to communications.
“Our people are our brand, and our rebrand focuses squarely on that personal dimension,” says Klanecky.
The new name “Kearney” also reflects the firm’s emphasis on community and collaboration. In removing the initials “A.T.,” Kearney, while remaining wedded to the values and commitment to client service embodied by its founder, recognizes that its legacy of success could never be attributed to any one person.
“For decades, our brand was centered primarily around our heritage, in which we take extraordinary pride,” said Klanecky. “While showcasing our firm’s family name demonstrates that we remain true to our origins, our updated name, brand voice, and visual identity are more concise and personal, embracing who we are today.”
One example of Kearney’s brand pivot is a commitment to eliminating stock photography and moving toward using 100% crowdsourced imagery from Kearney colleagues, which showcases their individual perspectives and worldviews. From October to December 2019, the company collected more than 10,000 original photographs shot by Kearney’s global employees.
Alex Liu, Chairman and Managing Partner of Kearney, says: “The most exciting aspect of our new brand is that it so accurately captures our voice. Our firm is refreshingly real, relatable, and original. To that end, we are eliminating industry jargon. Kearney people are always themselves. We speak plainly, listen closely, and build great working relationships. We take joy in each other, and in every success achieved side by side with our clients.”
Sourced from ConsultingMag - written by Joe Kornik