Intel is changing logo, tagline to toe home entertainment line

AN JOSE: The world’s biggest chip maker, Intel Corporation, is scrapping its present logo and the rhyming tagline ‘Intel Inside’ as part of a major overhaul of its brand, putting emphasis away from its PC business and on to home entertainment products.

The 37-year-old Intel logo, with the “e” slightly lowered, will be replaced by one having an oval swirl around the company’s name and the phrase “Leap Ahead” instead of Intel Inside.

Brand watchers recall the existing logo and the tagline, created in the 1990s as being responsible for the Silicon Valley hardware major’s leap to become a global giant. It is world’s No 5 brand with an estimated value of $36 billion.

The company said though the Intel Inside will go, it will introduce a marketing programme with that theme to help PC makers advertise products using Intel chips.

The new logo as well as details of the marketing programme will be unveiled by Intel’s chief executive Paul Otellini at next week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Intel believes that its thrust now should be on digital media and networking business as the PC market has slowed down to some extent and its rival Advanced Micro Devices has captured part of its laptop and server markets. Besides, it wants to emphasise on the new internal face it has gained since Otellini took over in May 2005.

Brand watchers see the attempt as Intel’s intention to focus on platforms rather than individual processors. These platforms will facilitate the integration of Intel-based systems with digital media and networks in homes, businesses and schools.

Intel insiders reveal that the proposed campaign will centre on the company’s Centrino line of processors for laptops, instead of its venerable Pentium range, and a new concept it calls Viiv, which is essentially the platform to integrate PCs and home entertainment systems.

Intel has also revealed its new chip for laptop computers, which it calls Core, and which will be a key part of the Viiv concept. It is set for launch early next year and will be a key product in the mobile market to take on rival AMD.

Core, once called Yonah, is a 32-bit dual core microprocessor chip with the ability to conserve power and run cooler than earlier Intel chips. It is purely an Otellini venture aimed at taking AMD head-on.

Intel now has a new chief marketing officer, Eric B. Kim, formerly of Samsung Electronics and credited with making the South Korean company a global brand. The rebranding and the new programme launch will be done under his supervision.