When Merck unveiled its new identity in 2015, at a leadership summit in Berlin, more than 300 of the company\u2019s senior managers rose to their feet in a standing ovation.<\/p>\n
Created with FutureBrand<\/a>, it was an unusually radical departure for a company of Merck\u2019s scale and heritage, signalling its ambition to be seen not as a conservative pharmaceuticals giant, but as a modern science and technology innovator.<\/p>\n Ten years on, the identity has not only endured, it still feels contemporary alongside the new wave of health and biotech brands.<\/p>\n By the early 2010s, Merck faced an identity crisis. Despite pioneering breakthroughs across healthcare, life science and performance materials, its image was lost in what FutureBrand describes as a \u201csea of sameness.\u201d<\/p>\n The company had grown globally through acquisitions, creating a patchwork of sub-brands and competing cultures, with even employees struggling to articulate what Merck stood for.<\/p>\n The before and after of the Merck visual identity<\/p>\n Clare-Louise Smith, managing director of FutureBrand New York, recalls: \u201cThere were two clear challenges. Firstly, Merck had a strong need to stand out among a sea of sameness.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd secondly, the company had a history of doing remarkable things\u2026 but no-one really knew about those discoveries or attributed them to Merck.\u201d<\/p>\n Merck\u2019s then-CEO, Karl-Ludwig Kley, believed a radical brand could crystallise the company\u2019s transformation into a global science and tech player. Drawing on his experience at Lufthansa, he pushed for a change that would make Merck\u2019s shift visible, tangible and unmissable.<\/p>\n FutureBrand\u2019s London team were briefed to create something that would \u201cmost likely polarise opinion.\u201d They began with an unusual approach, taking a week of ideation with no computers. During that time, they found inspiration in the microscopic world.<\/p>\n \u201cIf science is so incredible and vibrant and Merck does such exciting and groundbreaking work, why does it look so dull?\u201d one strategist asked. Looking at shapes, colours and textures under the microscope gave rise to an identity built on vibrancy and movement, which was a sharp break from the clinical blues and greys of industry peers.<\/p>\n FutureBrand\u2019s new visual identity for Merck<\/p>\n Simon Hill, now president of FutureBrand North America, says: \u201cWe knew that we had to create something different \u2013 a total departure from what existed \u2013 because, in order to stand out and win, they needed something radical.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Merck team were phenomenal: they gave us the freedom to be bold and deliver a breakthrough look and feel that reflected their past, present and future.\u201d<\/p>\n The new system, centred on \u201cVibrant Science and Technology,\u201d combined an expressive visual language with the structure to unify Merck\u2019s fragmented brand architecture.<\/p>\n Even the launch strategy was developed to match the new daring nature of the brand. Rather than opening debate across divisions, the rebrand was kept under wraps until a single reveal to the top 300 leaders.<\/p>\n \u201cThe reaction was incredibly strong, and many still say it was one of the most impactful events of their careers,\u201d recalls Katrin Menne, head of brand and content marketing at Merck.<\/p>\n Externally though, reactions were polarised. In Germany in particular there was some early scepticism, with people balking at its unconventionality.<\/p>\n Competitors also mocked the look at first (though some have arguably imitated aspects of it in the years following) and Business Insider<\/em> even listed Merck\u2019s new logo among the most controversial redesigns of 2015, calling it \u201cbizarre and off-brand\u201d.<\/p>\n Ten years on, what makes the Merck brand notable is not only its radical launch but its longevity. The identity remains intact, and stakeholders credit that endurance to both vision and flexibility.<\/p>\n \u201cThe brand was so visionary. If you make a bold leap forward, it lasts. Gradual changes often don\u2019t,\u201d says Menne. The design system was created with elasticity and the ability to dial up vibrancy for technology and dial it down for sensitive areas such as cancer care, without losing coherence.<\/p>\n FutureBrand\u2019s new visual identity for Merck<\/p>\n That adaptability has supported Merck\u2019s business strategy over the decade. The brand helped formalise its positioning as a science and tech company, underpinned M&A activities, and flexed to support business unit shifts, such as the renaming of Performance Materials to Electronics.<\/p>\n Menne even suggests the brand \u201cfeels like it was made for AI\u201d despite predating the current wave of technology.<\/p>\n For any rebrand, proof of value lies in outcomes. In Merck\u2019s case, both internal and external measures point to lasting impact.<\/p>\n In a 2019 study carried out by Merck, 80% of new hires said the brand had a strong or very strong influence on their decision to apply. Recruiters reported that candidates brought up the brand unprompted, which had never happened before.<\/p>\n Research conducted in 2016, and again in 2022, showed significant improvements in reputation among professionals in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Similarly, advocacy, favourability and familiarity all increased, while trust rose by 17%, according to Merck.<\/p>\n Financial performance has also been robust. Merck\u2019s net sales have nearly doubled since the rebrand, reaching \u20ac21.3 billion in the 12 months ending March 2025, compared with just over \u20ac11 billion in the year before the launch.<\/p>\n FutureBrand\u2019s new visual identity for Merck<\/p>\n Externally, Merck\u2019s reputation has been reinforced by third-party rankings. The company is consistently listed among the world\u2019s most valuable pharma brands by Brand Finance, and it ranked seventh globally in the 2024 Access to Medicine Index, performing above average in all technical areas. The Merck case demonstrates three lessons for corporate branding. First, that bravery pays off \u2013 its seemingly polarising design galvanised the organisation and set it apart in saturated markets.<\/p>\n Secondly, adaptability matters, and systems built with flexibility can span diverse sectors, geographies and timeframes.<\/p>\n And thirdly, brand is culture. The most successful rebrands give people a shared language, not just a new logo.<\/p>\n Simon Hill says the project taught FutureBrand a lesson in conviction. \u201cNow whenever I\u2019m standing in front of a board with a strategy and visual identity I firmly believe in, I\u2019m much more comfortable with saying \u2018This might not be what you had in mind, but it\u2019s what you need\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n A decade after its launch, Merck\u2019s identity remains distinctive, modern and culturally resonant, which is still a rarity in corporate branding. According to Merck, employees remain proud and leaders continue to see it as transformative. There\u2019s also no doubt the numbers support its impact.<\/p>\n Too often brands will err on the side of caution, yet Merck\u2019s willingness to embrace a radical departure has become its greatest strength. Menne is confident when she says that if she were rebranding today, she would \u201cabsolutely do it the same way again.\u201d<\/p>\n For FutureBrand, and for the wider design community, the Merck case shows that risky rebrands done right just might redefine the benchmark for an entire sector. Whatever Business Insider<\/em> might say\u2026<\/p>\n FutureBrand\u2019s new visual identity for MerckA singular vision<\/h5>\n
Designing the leap<\/h5>\n
The big reveal<\/h5>\n
Built to last<\/h5>\n
Evidence of impact<\/h5>\n
\nLessons in (brand) chemistry<\/p>\nA vibrant legacy<\/h5>\n
\nFutureBrand\u2019s new visual identity for Merck
\nFutureBrand\u2019s new visual identity for Merck<\/p>\n