CF Industries

CF Industries is the largest ammonia producer in the US. They discovered how to take their flagship product - ammonia - and convert it into hydrogen to be used in hydrogen fuel cells.

Their objective was to demonstrate this to the world by achieving new partnerships, increasing their brand value and perception, and being recognised publicly for their commitment to renewable energies.

Climate Change is reaching a tipping point, with actions to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels a key focus for companies globally. For years, CF Industries has found it difficult to do its part to help reduce climate change. Hydrogen is a clean energy source widely viewed as critical to achieving net zero carbon goals. As the largest producer of ammonia, CF found they were not seizing on the opportunity to define this world-changing power externally.

CF needed to elevate itself and create a story surrounding its impact on the world to showcase its adaptability. But, at the same time, reassure its agricultural customers that CF would continue to provide the same high-quality fertiliser products to agricultural producers around the world while the company expanded into clean energy.

The company's green ammonia decarbonisation efforts could not disrupt the quality their customers expected. With this, CF had the extremely difficult challenge of revamping the way the world viewed them.

Since its founding, CF had been a company of transformation. Now, as it brought a new source of clean energy to the fore, it was undergoing an evolution. Through in-depth internal and industry stakeholder research and interviews, we arrived at a powerful new brand positioning, “Transformative Energy”. This idea represented the shift CF was making as a company, the changes it was making within clean energy and the industry at large, and, perhaps most importantly, the implications its work would have on the world and the generations of tomorrow.

We knew CF’s identity evolution needed to be more than a change of symbol, but a symbol of change – one that respected its origins, while also accounting for its future. With our transformative strategy in place, we sought to bring the CF identity system in line with its new vision. This began most obviously with the logo, whose corn stalk signalled an agricultural emphasis. While we moved away from this element, we retained the blues and greens of the existing colour palette, which cued both its hero products and underscored its clean energy vision.

The new CF logo is inspired by the hydrogen molecule, the key to its hero products. Importantly, the entire visual system is optimised for motion, essential for a company intent on transformation. The logo’s three triangular components – each integral in
the overarching system – move in tandem, signalling the progress CF seeks to make on its new path – for itself, for industry, and for the world.

Following its official new brand launch, the company has seen its stock rise an impressive 25.63%, with record annual financial results just six months later. In addition, CF was recognised by Forbes as one of America's Best Midsize Employers and partnered with Mitsui & Co. to build a greenfield ammonia production facility to continue its commitment to a greener future.