4uatre help rebrand Renault's financial subsidiary RCI

RCI Bank and Services is a subsidiary of Renault that provides auto financing and insurance. It was previously known as Renault Crédit International and then as RCI Banque until last week when the current name was adopted as part of rebranding exercise. The new visual identity was developed by French agency 4uatre.

The rebranding is part of an ongoing effort to make RCI more service-oriented. The round shape has reportedly been infused with lots of symbolism, embodying mobility and an international footprint.

Temporary logo for Aquitaine-Limousin-Poitou-Charentes

France went through a major territorial reform at the beginning of the year that saw the number of government regions drop from 22 to 13. Most regions were affected and found themselves merged with one or more of their neighbours. The new regions have until the middle of the year to decide what they are going to call themselves. For some it is obvious, the recently merged Lower Normandy and Upper Normandy is now simply called Normandy. Others have more unwieldy names like Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine and Languedoc-Roussillon-Midi-Pyrénées.

Another such example is Aquitaine-Limousin-Poitou-Charentes, formed through the merger of Aquitaine, Limousin and Poitou-Charentes. ALPC has some 5.8 million inhabitants and includes of much of south-western France. The region will get a new name later this year, but still needed a visual identity, revealed shortly before Christmas.

The provisional nature of the logo didn't stop its creators from having a bit of fun by lining up the I's in the three names.

A new tower in Tours

Tours is a city in France, the administrative centre of the Indre-et-Loire department. It has a long history stretching back to Gallic times. With 135,000 inhabitants, its municipality ranks 27 in population in France, although the metropolitan area where Tours is the centre has about 480,000 inhabitants. A week ago, the city presented a new logo.

What's most remarkable about this new logo is the one it replaces. Reportedly introduced in 1987, it consisted of a tower, inside a grid with a rainbow coming out of it. It screamed 80s design experiment and the city has been moving away from it over time.

The new logo is far more functional, dominated by a wordmark, with the old tower abstracted to three shapes in the middle, in colours related to the city and the region. An accompanying press release says it should convey a range of values, such as charm, elegance, revival, fluidity, innovation, movement and a balance between tradition and modernity.

W creates new identity for Novotel

Novotel is an International hotel chain of French origin with around 400 hotels around the world. It is currently a part of AccorHotels and positioned as the groups mid-range brand. It recently launched a new visual identity, created by French agency W.

The change is part of re-positioning of Novotel as a more personal brand, moving away from the one-size-fits-all approach that has become obsolete with the emergence of budget hotel brands.

France's electrical grid ERDF gets its own logo

ERDF, or Électricité Réseau Distribution France, is the company in charge of France's electrical grid. Its 38,000 employees manage 95 percent of the electrical grid on French soil. It is a subsidiary of the electricity utility EDF and was branded as such until today when ERDF was given a separate visual identity.

A press release states that the new logo is an affirmation of the company's values, such as innovation, proximity and competitiveness. The company chose a simple logo with two colours. Blue is traditionally associated with ERDF and its vehicles, while green symbolises innovation and green technology.

Accor Hotels welcomes new identity

Accor is Europe's largest hotel operator and one of the world leaders with more than 3,700 hotels operated under several brands, including Ibis, Sofitel, Pullman, and the main Accor brand. Yesterday the company altered its name to AccorHotels and launched a new visual identity, devised by the French agency W.

The tagline, "Feel Welcome", is supposed to communicate the brand's ethos both internally and externally. Costumers should feel welcome and employees should make sure the guests feel welcome.

The new identity puts Accor's goose icon at the centre, enabling its to also work separately, for example as an app icon.

GDF Suez becomes Engie

GDF Suez is a major French gas and electricity utility with operations in many countries making it major international player. Last Friday, it announced that it would change its name to Engie. The company says this is a move to express the changing nature of energy.

GDF Suez was created in 2008 from the merger of the partly state-owned Gaz de France and another utility, Suez. Waste management company Suez Environnement was spun off at the time of the merger and will carry on the Suez name (with a new visual identity as of last month).

The logo is clearly carries on of the equity of its predecessor. A press release says the gradient crescent behind the name is a rising sun, "symbolizing a new day in the world of energy".

Update April 29: The new identity was designed by Carré Noir. They say the new look and feel is bright and warm, "reflection of a positive vision to support the energy transition and meet the challenges of the future". More images added below.

France's leading brewery Brasseries Kronenbourg introduces new logo

Brasseries Kronenbourg is France's largest brewery, tracing its history back to the year 1664, which also happens to be the name of one of its most famous brands. It has been a subsidiary of the Danish Carlsberg Group since 2008, which means it is also selling international Carlsberg brands in France. Yesterday, Brasseries Kronenbourg launched a new corporate identity which it will use in corporate communications. It was designed by Carré Noir, which has been the brewery's design agency for several years.

According to a press release, the new logo reaffirms Kronenbourg's identity as a French brewer with 350 years of history.

Cheese maker Bongrain becomes Savencia

Bongrain is a French dairy company and one of the world leaders in processed milk products. It owns several international brands of soft cheese, including Saint Albray, Saint Môret and Le Rustique, but the company itself has been fairly anonymous. That is about to change, because yesterday the company announced that it would change its name to Savencia in a move that it hopes will make it more visible to consumers. The new visual identity was developed by W&Cie.

The name should evoke flavour and savour and was created by naming agency Nomen to work internationally. The tagline 'Fromage & Dairy' tells what the company is about, with the word cheese written in French to highlight its origins. The logo, a stylised S, represents dynamism, balance, pleasure and generosity, as well a diverse product portfolio and innovative know-how.

Suez Environnement starts revolution with new logo

Suez Environnement is one of the world leaders in water treatment and waste management, formed in 2008 as a spinoff from French energy company GDF-Suez, but consisting of various merged and acquired companies. In addition to the corporate name, the company has been active under brands such as Sita, Degrémont, Agbar, Aqualogy, Lyonnaise des Eaux, United Water, Ondeo and Safege.

Last week, they were all united under the Suez Environnement name, when a new corporate identity was launched. Its design is credited to French agency Saguez & Partners. The new symbol is a stylised S that also resembles an infinity symbol, thereby embodying recycling. It also contains three C's, for "circular, concrete and collaboration".

In addition to creating unified identity, the exercise is also intended to communicate that Suez is all about sustainable management of resources, a convergence of its different business areas. It is launched with a campaign dubbed the 'resource revolution' that tells stories about how Suez recycles waste.

Venturethree redefines Dailymotion

Dailymotion is the world's second largest online video site. It was launched in 2005, a month after Youtube, the uncontested leader among the video sharing sites. Last week, it introduced a new visual identity, developed by London-based venturethree.

Gone is the broadcasting tower that has adorned the site since its launch. In its place comes a simple wordmark. More crucially, venturethree worked with Dailymotion to redefine the purpose of the website around the freedom for people to share what they love. The brand architecture has been streamlined and the entire viewing experience has been given a clear and simple look that works across platforms.

Intelligent identity for France's Daher

Daher is a major French industrial involved in several advanced engineering businesses like aircraft manufacturing, aerospace, logistics services and nuclear power. Last week, on February 25, it introduced a new corporate identity, developed by CBA.

The new positioning is summed up as "Shaping Industrial Intelligence", conveying the advanced engineering involved in all of Daher's products. The rebrand unites the companies divisions under one corporate name. The logotype uses simple typography and is contrasted by an overall style that makes use of detailed photography and technical drawings.

New Quick logo does more

Quick is France's second largest restaurant chain with additional restaurants in Belgium and Luxembourg. It specialises in hamburgers and is thus a sort of local alternative to McDonald's. It started 2015 by introducing a comprehensive new communications platform, which includes a refreshed visual identity, designed by Carré Noir.

The new communication platform is summed up by the claim "the taste to do more", which stands for Quick's willingness to do more for its costumers.

A press release says the new logo is more modern and impacting. It drops the archaic stylised roof, but keeps the well-recognised Q and the colour red. It comes with a new design for its restaurants.

New logo for French kids channel Canal J

Canal J is a French satellite television channel with programmes for children. It was founded in 1985, which makes it one of the oldest non-terrestrial TV channels in France. This year it is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and they started it by introducing a new logo which launched this week. The logo and the graphics package that came with it were created by French motion design agency Motionfanclub.

The new look should convey Canal J's status as a premium channel. The new logo, a J in an orange square, has been optimised to work across platforms. The graphics "bounce" on screen in an innovative way. A specifically composed sound environment uses guitars and electro pop.

New identity for book club France Loisirs

France Loisirs is a major French book club, founded in 1970. Although smaller than it used to be, it still commands about 2 million members who are serviced through a network of shops or by mail. Recently, France Loisirs adopted a new visual identity, created by brand design agency CBA.

The new identity supports an expanded offering that also includes wellbeing products alongside books. CBA also designed a new retail setting.

Camping in France with Tohapi

France is a popular destination for camping and the leading provider of camping suites is Vacalians Group, formed in 2012 through a merger. It does not only claim to be a leader in France, but the leader in Europe. In October, the company announced that it would launch a new brand to replace its existing consumer brands Vacances directes and Village Center. The camping sites will now be marketed under the name Tohapi, and the visual identity was developed by Royalties.

The aim of the new Tohapi brand is to "support the desires of its guests, anticipate their needs and offer them the best of the camping spirit". Royalties' execution makes great use of the signature orange colour and the elongated letter O in the logo. It comes with various applications and a set of icons.

Ubeeqotous car sharing

Ubeeqo is a French company that provides corporate car-sharing solutions, describing itself as a national leader in that field. It was known as Carbox until earlier this year when it adopted a new brand identity, developed by French agency Brand Brothers.

The agency worked on everything from naming to visual identity, applications and icons. The new look should convey easy travelling and consistency.

Neopost to receive new logo

Neopost is a French company that provides mailroom equipment, holding a leading position in this market. This week, on September 30, it introduced a new logo which is scheduled for launch in February 1, 2015.

Just like its predecessor, the new logo is a stylised N. This one has been designed to look like an envelope. The company says its new look will be "lively, bright, dynamic and optimistic" and that it reflects changes and diversification within the company.

Saelen chips new identity

Saelen/TS Industrie is a French manufacturer of woodchippers based in Lille. Founded in 1880, it is now one of Europe's largest producers of woodchippers. French agency Brand Brothers recently created a new visual identity for the company.

The logo-type uses custom lettering and is part of a cohesive identity that also include guidelines and applications.

ComprendreChoisir selects new logo

ComprendreChoisir is a French website that offers practical information and advice about products and everyday problems. It generates much of its traffic from search engines, but early last month it launched a new visual identity to help build an independent brand.

The new identity was created by French agency Royalties who came up with an owl mascot as a universal symbol for knowledge. It lives in a brightly coloured environment.