New logo: IFM Investors

Industry Funds Management, is a fund manager that was founded in Australia in 1990 and is owned by a number of non-profit pension funds. Back in October, it changed its name to IFM Investors, respecting the company's heritage by keeping the initials but stressing the importance of its investors. The new name and identity was developed by Landor Associates.

New logo: IRB Brasil RE

Instituto de Resseguros do Brasil, marketed as IRB Brasil RE, is a Brazilian institution that offers reinsurance ("insurance for insurance companies"). Once a partly state-owned enterprise, it was recently privatised, but retains a strong position in its home market, in addition to activities in other parts of Latin America and Africa. Last month, it launched a new corporate identity, created by a Brazilian agency called Crama Design Estratégico.

The new look should communicate IRB Brasil RE's core brand values: integrated intelligence, strength, agility and flexibility. This is further emphasised by the slogan "Go beyond, to make a difference" (Ir além, para fazer a diferença). The colours are inspired by Brazil.

New logo: Rialto Channel

Rialto Channel is pay TV channel in New Zealand devoted to independent film and entertainment. Earlier this year, the channel was relaunched with a new look created by Interbrand. On-air graphics were developed by Brandspank.

The rebrand attempts open the channel up to new audiences, including those not necessarily interesting in world cinema. Interbrand had to achieve this repositioning within a tight brief, the channel wanted core elements of its logo to remain, including the typeface and the R and star combination.

New logo: Clarel

After the German drugstore giant Schlecker went bankrupt early last year, its Spanish and Portuguese branches were sold to Spanish discount supermarket chain Dia. In late it October, it was announced that the over 1,000 stores would be renamed Clarel. Schlecker stores were mainly focused on beauty, hygiene, products for kids and pets and some food, and that will stay unchanged under the new banner. The first stores carrying the new name re-opened last week.

The new brand was developed by Interbrand Madrid in a complete review of everything from communication and retail environments. Under the slogan "How do you want to shine today?" (¿Cómo quieres brillar hoy?), Clarel wants to offer products that make its costumers feel confident. The logo, with its smiling droplet, should convey brightness and clarity.

Clarity is also reflected in the range of colours, which are limited to white, black and an occasional red for promotions. A set of icons have been designed to help costumers navigate.

New logo: Disney Channel Germany

Last week, German authorities approved The Walt Disney Company's acquisition of the struggling German TV channel Das Vierte. Almost immediately, the company announced plans to close the channel down and replace it with a German version of the Disney Channel, due to launch on January 17. The new German Disney Channel will be made available for free to 93 percent of households in the country, in direct competition with three other German children's channels. It will feature Disney's original children's TV series during the day and family movies in prime time.

With the November 14 announcement came a new logo that doesn't look like the one used by Disney Channel in other countries. Absent is the well recognised profile of Mickey Mouse. It remains to be seen whether this logo is exclusive to Germany or whether it will be rolled out to other countries.

Penneys, 1963

The classic American department store chain JCPenney has had a dithering visual identity in the last few years. In October it decided to revert back to its 1971 wordmark, after introducing new logos in both 2011 and 2012. Incidentally, this month it will be exactly fifty years since the company introduced its first proper corporate identity.

Before November 1963, the stores didn't really have a consistent identity. They could be called "J. C. Penney" or "Penney's", and there were lots of different wordmarks in use. The new "signature", as it was called, was introduced as part of an extensive design programme to bring Penneys into the 1960s. The logo was described as "up-swept, modern and dynamic" and was designed to work in every form, from storefronts to the growing range of private label products. The oddly shaped P has earned it the nickname "the funky P logo".

The design programme was created by a New York firm called Peter Schladermundt Associates, lead by industrial designer Pete Schladermundt. He was once an associate of Norman Bel Geddes and quite prominent in his time, but almost forgotten today. Quite active in trademark design, he also redesigned the "Pegasus" shield for Mobil Oil in the 50s.

The timing of the logo launch proved unfortunate. The official launch was set for Sunday, November 24 when the new signature was used in advertisements around the country and several news articles about the launch were published. However, it had already been introduced in some markets a few days prior to that. In the days in between, president John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

New look: The Weather Channel

The Weather Channel is an American television network, completely dedicated to the weather that airs detailed forecasts for both national and local weather throughout the day, as well as some "weather-themed" feature programming in prime time. This week, on November 12, it launched a new brand identity, created with broadcast design agency Trollbäck + Company, ad agency Mono and sound design agency Man Made Music.

For Trollbäck, this was a project about information graphics, bringing lots of information to viewers in a clear way. In addition, there are new sets and graphics for various programmes, special graphics for severe weather, promo packaging and IDs.