New look for Thomas Cook

Thomas Cook is unveiling a major rebrand today, ditching its globe logo and its famous tagline ‘Don’t just book it Thomas Cook it’.

Instead, the group has come up with a new sunny heart logo and the strapline ‘Let’s go’.

The new brand has been developed by Cook’s new management team, headed by CEO Harriett Green who joined in July 2012.

"It’s a major milestone in our high tech, high touch transformation," said Green.

"This isn’t just a rollout of a new logo, it’s about a promise.  What we’re announcing today is a renewed promise to our customers, our people and suppliers. 

"A promise that we’re putting them at the heart of our transformation it’s the essence of who we are."

Thomas Cook said the re-brand was the next phase of the re-transformation of the business following its much publicised financial problems last year.

In March this year it unveiled its plans to become a high tech travel company and in May it announced a major re-financing deal.

"This is phase three," said sales, marketing and e-commerce director Mike Hoban.

"But this isn’t just a marketing make-over, this is the consequence of a new strategy for Thomas Cook. The future direction of travel is to be a digital business and we are changing in line with that digital business strategy.

"If anybody thinks that we have finished, they’re wrong. We have only just begun. We have a plan, we are making lots of progress, and I think people are seeing the evidence of that. There is more to come."

A similar sunny heart logo had been recently introduced for Thomas Cook’s northern Europe business but it has been developed by the internal management team and will now be rolled out across all of its international brands, including its retail network, websites and airlines.

In the UK, this will include Thomas Cook’s budget conscious Airtours brand.

Hoban said the re-brand "won’t actually cost that much" because Thomas Cook would take advantage of the cyclical nature of the travel business.

"Brochures and our shop windows change with the seasons anyway, so we will roll out the new brand as part of the natural cycle," he said.

"The things that we can change cost effectively will be done today and others, like the shop facias, will be changed gradually. It would be inappropriate and unnecessary, for example, to re-paint all of our plans on day one."

Thomas Cook has already been investing in its high street stores and over 200 shops have been refreshed this year.

Hoban said this work had been done with the new branding in mind.

He said staff had greeted the news with enthusiasm.

"We had an internal briefing with international managers two weeks ago and when the new branding was unveiled there was a standing ovation. Everyone internally is really excited about it.

"I’ve been involved in quite a few rebrandings in my time and it’s always a bit nerve-wracking, but I’m really pleased with the way this one is going."

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