Over the past decade, DONG Energy has transformed from an energy company based on coal and oil to a global leader in renewable energy. Kontrapunkt has created the new brand identity, developed a new brand architecture and also facilitated the creative part of the naming process that resulted in the new name.
The new name references Danish scientist H.C. Ørsted and recognises his curiosity, dedication and interest in nature. Ørsted helped lay the scientific foundation for how today’s societies are powered by discovering electromagnetism in 1820.
Ørsted is an international company with global ambitions grounded in solid Danish values like humanity, commitment, curiosity and accountability. Because of this, it made sense to find inspiration in the Danish version of the functionalism and the Danish design tradition that both represent these values.
Just as functionalism in the 1930’s was a significant break with earlier styles and brought light and air into the lives of the Danes, the Ørsted brand breaks away from the category it is placed within. As a result, Kontrapunkt has brought the characteristics of the Danish functionalism into the present and the future.
The new brand is inventive, optimistic and bold, and aims to redefine what a corporate brand means within the traditional energy sector.
The Ørsted colour palette consists of bold and optimistic colours, inspired by Nordic nature and architecture. The logo colour is specifically a tribute to Danish modernist painter Vilhelm Lundstrøm and his constant hunt for his ‚eternal blue‘.
The image style depicts real people in real situations with a sense of optimism and joy, and just like the pictograms, they use everyday objects and situations to describe situations where energy is used.
