Seven Maharatna Central public sector enterprises are fighting a Government suggestion to change their logos.
“Indian Oil has informed us (that it is) not changing their logo, while six others have said they are studying the Government’s suggestions,” O.P Rawat, Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises, told Business Line .
Apart from Indian Oil, this group includes ONGC, SAIL, Coal India, BHEL, NTPC and GAIL. It was the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, who had floated the idea of reviewing the existing logos.
In a letter to Praful Patel, Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, he had said: “The logos currently in use date from the 1950s and 1960s and are aesthetically out of line with current global standards. Given that our Maharatnas now compete globally, including through fund-raising road-shows, it is important that their logos look contemporary.”
More aesthetic
Ahluwalia said redesigning logos over time was a common practice internationally. “The board of each Maharatna should be asked to review the logo to see if a new, more aesthetic version can be designed and then encouraged to make the change,” he said.
Patel agreed, suggesting a competition among PSUs, with a competent jury in place to decide on the new logos. However, PSU sources felt the existing logos represented their character well and had been their identity for years. “Now, how can we change our well-known face?” a leading PSU’s chairman asked.
PSUs also feel logo designing may be a low-cost process, but companies will need to spend a lot on promoting and establishing the new brand identity. Another PSU chief said when there is pressure on margins; any additional expenditure will make things difficult.
shishir.sinha@thehindu.co.in