The Toronto Stock Exchange Inc. is introducing new corporate graphics, updating a look created in 1995. The new mark and standards are aimed at reflecting the evolution of the Exchange into a national entity, including the acquisition of the Canadian Venture Exchange Inc.

The TSE’s CEO Barbara Stymiest, introduced the new brand family last Friday to TSE and CDNX staff across Canada. TSE, CDNX and TSE/CDNX Markets will all be renamed as component parts of the new TSX group of companies.

Factors considered in the rebranding were the TSE’s plans to establish a national footprint, the acquisition of CDNX, the spin-off of the Exchange’s regulatory arm into Market Regulation Services Inc., and the reorganization of the senior market to better define trading services and market data.

“Early research made clear that the existing TSE mark confined the organization to a single activity in the minds of most observers,” says Stymiest. “Our recent acquisition of CDNX and our longer term plans demanded a great deal more from our visual image.”

Crescent Design of Toronto joined with both communications and research executives at the TSE in a six-month process that was rooted in more than 200 hours of qualitative research and nearly 6000 quantitative surveys. Designers worked with brand strategists and external research consultants in a comprehensive process that led to the graphic solution presented to the TSE Board and staff last week.

The new look will be implemented across the company over the next several weeks and will be supported with a national and international advertising campaign.