TCI launches new brand identity on golden jubilee

TCI has adopted a new tag line and logo

Integrated supply chain and logistics solutions provider Transport Corporation of India (TCI) has launched its new corporate logo and brand line on the completion of its 50th year.

As a part of the re-branding exercise, TCI has adopted ‘Moving together, growing together’ as its new tagline. The new company logo has been given a spiral effect. It has been taken from the old triangle to show TCI's metamorphosis. The colour palette – yellow and black has been chosen to reflect the philosophy of customer responsiveness and progress. The chrome yellow represents friendship, optimism, warmth and energy. This contrasts with the black shadows, which signify stature, authority and boldness.

While it's learnt that the logo design and other design based deliverables were handled by Chlorophyll, the creative duties have been assigned to Percept/H, New Delhi, following a multi-agency pitch including agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi and Contract Advertising among others. Contract is also believed to be the incumbent agency, though officials refused to comment on this. TCI officials maintain that the split with the incumbent agency was due to the addition of a rival client to it's roster as well as expansion plans and a fresher perspective for the future. Though ad spends for the year ahead could not be ascertained, TCI is believed to have spent around Rs 8 crore on advertising, while Contract was in it's roster.

Speaking to afaqs! regarding the re-branding exercise and it's purpose, Chander Agarwal, executive director, TCI says, “All these years down the line we have followed a set pattern and therefore now we believe it's time for the wind of change to blow over us. Celebrating 50 years in the industry is a landmark achievement and so we decided to announce our plans of re-branding, on this occasion. This exercise will surely help us surge ahead, as, by 2010 we plan to be a Rs. 2000 crore organisation and go global.”

In an official communique, DP Agarwal, vice-chairman and managing director, TCI, says, “This year is of great significance to us as we have successfully completed 50 years of 'Moving the Nation’. We believe that a brand is a living entity and it refreshes our identity.”

As a part of this re-branding exercise, the company has also merged all its verticals under the mother brand name (TCI), for a single unified identity of the group. These verticals include TCI Freight, TCI XPS, TCI Supply Chain Solutions, TCI Global, TCI Seaways and TCI Foundation. Each vertical has been assigned it's unique colour code and they can be differentiated on this basis.

While speaking about it's communication strategy, officials assert that they would launch their new ad campaign by November 2008. Though the communication strategy would be having heavy direct mailing (DM) activities, they would also concentrate on other media vehicles sans radio. Officials refused to comment on a proper break-up of spends in each medium.

For the record TCI is a Rs.1450 crore organisation with a network of over 1200 company owned offices. Over the years, it has grown to become a full-fledged logistics company providing end-to-end logistics solutions such as tracking express delivery, supply chain solutions, shipping, amongst a host of others.