J.M. Smucker Co. Updates Corporate Identity
The J.M. Smucker Co. has revealed a refreshed corporate identity to better reflect its “diverse portfolio, category expertise and multigenerational appeal,” in the words of the iconic Orrville, Ohio-based company.
“Given our ambitions of continued transformational growth, it is important our identity reflect the company we’ve grown to become and the one we aspire to be,” noted Mark Smucker, president and CEO of The J.M. Smucker Co. “Our new identity will aid our efforts to attract additional talented professionals, reinforce our category expertise with customers and suppliers and create greater awareness of the value we bring to our partners, helping to spur new opportunities.”
Over the past two decades, the company has intentionally gone from an $800 million jam and jelly business to a $7 billion-plus multicategory CPG juggernaut, although it’s still mostly known for its namesake products.
“We have a tremendous portfolio of brands, products that appeal to every generation of consumers and employees who are passionate about operating responsibly,” continued Smucker. “With this new identity, we are able to shine a light on what makes us unique and give people a reason to learn more about how we’re using our business to positively impact people and pets.”
The most prominent changes to the company’s identity are the new logo and revamped brand identity system. For the past three decades, J.M. Smucker’s visual identity has leaned heavily on its namesake line of jams, jellies and preserves. With its portfolio now encompassing the coffee, pet food, pet snacks, peanut butter and snacking categories, an overhauled visual identity that pays tribute to the company’s beginnings while also illustrating its growth ambitions was necessary.
“The development of the new visual identity was a highly collaborative process with The J.M. Smucker Co. team,” said Rick Barrack, chief creative officer and co-founder of CBX, the New York- and Minneapolis-based firm that worked with the company on the logo and visual system. “Recognizing the company’s history and five generations of family leadership, we were inspired by their past. But what’s really exciting is where the company is today, their culture and their continued growth. The new identity uses the familiar strawberry to anchor the mark, a pivot point to convey change, and the movement of shapes to express the future. We think it captures the essence of their organization, while giving a nod to their heritage.”
In line with its new corporate identity, The J.M. Smucker Co. has also rolled out a redesigned website.
