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CHICAGO — Kearney, the global consulting partnership formerly known as A.T. Kearney, announced earlier this month an all-encompassing rebrand.
As part of a comprehensive review of Kearney’s existing brand and value proposition, the firm reached out to clients, firm partners, colleagues, and alumni for their perspectives on what they find distinctive and valuable in Kearney people, how they work, and how the firm contributes to client success—all of which 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,” said Abby Klanecky, partner and chief marketing officer at Kearney.
One example of Kearney’s new brand direction is a commitment to eliminating stock photography and using 100% crowdsourced imagery from Kearney colleagues, showcasing their individual perspectives from around the world. From October to December 2019, the company collected more than 10,000 original photographs shot by Kearney’s global employees.
The new name “Kearney” also reflects the firm’s emphasis on community. Kearney remains wedded to the values and commitment to client service embodied by the firm’s founder, Andrew Thomas Kearney. Removing initials “A.T.” from the name recognizes the broader global Kearney family of employees, alumni, and friends who contribute to its success.
“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.”
Alex Liu, Chairman and Managing Partner of Kearney, observed, “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.”
Kearney engaged global brand strategy, design, and experience firm Siegel+Gale to help gather insights from clients, partners, colleagues, and stakeholder communities to pinpoint distinguishing and original firm traits. “Brand is a valuable asset that is often overlooked,” said Philip Davies, President, EMEA, Siegel+Gale. “Kearney has always taken pride in placing its people at the center of what it does, and this rebrand highlights this unique approach. Many brands invest in clearly defining their purpose, but then fail to activate it. Kearney is a great example of a brand living its purpose through people centricity.”
