Ukraine war sparks branding tweak at major insurer

Markings seen recently on Russian tanks and other military vehicles involved in the invasion of Ukraine have prompted one large insurance company to back away from a longstanding logotype.

For the time being, Zurich Insurance Company has opted to stop using its Z logotype as part of its social media presence. Those social pages now feature the company’s name spelled out in capital letters in a light blue field.

“We are temporarily removing the use of the letter ‘Z’ from social channels where it appears in isolation and could be misinterpreted,” Zurich Insurance Company told Canadian Underwriter in a statement.

“The Zurich brand has been around for 150 years,” it added. “It is a trusted brand and we have proven our ability to change and respond to challenges over time.”

In addition to being spray painted on Russian military vehicles, the letter Z has been used on clothing, flags and in other ways by Russians supporting the war. It also has been displayed on banners and other decorations during pro-Kremlin events.

In addition to the logo change, the company told CU that “Zurich has decided to suspend underwriting domestic customers as well as to halt renewing of local policies in Russia.” Other major insurers have made similar moves.

Feature image courtesy of iStock.com/Alex-S