SES is a Luxembourg-based satellite company that maintains a global fleet of more than 40 geostationary communications satellites, delivering services to media, telecommunications, government and enterprise. It also designs and procures satellites but is not a satellite manufacturer, nor does it act as a launch provider. Established in 1985 as Société Européenne des Satellites, SES has taken advantage of its strong position in the market by consolidating its 3 divisions (SES Corporate, SES Astra and SES World Skies) into a single seemless brand experience for its customers. Facing increasing competition from fiber networks, cable operators and triple play entertainment packages from mobile operators SES is capitalising on the unrivalled benefits of satellite services. At the same time seeking to overcome the staid image of the RF (wireless) medium amongst engineers who are, instead, graduating with degrees focused on IP (Internet Protocol). Satellite offers a consistency of service everywhere, large scale bandwidth for mass delivery of direct to home HD and 3D TV as well as rapid deployment communications capabilities and global reach without geographical limit. By offering a single market-facing brand SES is leading the way from a well-managed holding company into a global commercial business.
To modernise the tired and insitutional acronym 'Société Européenne des Satellites' we proposed that SES be renewed to mean 'Satellite Enabled Services'. With so much equity in the existing identity the brandmark was to receive a refreshment treatment but remain inherently the same by retaining the symbol. The business also needed a distinct visual brand-idea to help transform the brand experience. Given the global reach and highly specialised nature of satellite services the idea of delivering multiple worlds through through multiple beams emerged. And, given that in the delivery of digital satellite communication services there is no theoretical limit to the number of these conceptual beams within beams delivering multiple worlds, there was an opportunity to use a fractal device. A combination of worlds represented by circles and beams represented by triangles offered a highly flexible and distinct branding system to deliver a rich and unique brand experience. This multiple worlds and beams idea also expressed the customer-centric aspect of the business. Customers work with SES as a strategic business partner. The 'digital' nature and infinite possibilities of this branding system also provide the opportunity to encode particulars to suggest that in combination individual events and/or individual entities expressed the brand-idea and call-to-action that we proposed 'Together we aim higher'.
