The assignment to develop a new American Stock Exchange corporate identity and logo was multifaceted. The objectives were to:

• reinforce the idea of three core businesses — equities, options and Exchange Traded Funds
• express "modern and new" without sacrificing the feeling of stability
• convey a sense of confidence, stature and momentum
• differentiate ourselves from other exchanges both in the U.S. and overseas

Finally, we wanted a branding solution for the long term, one that could represent the American Stock Exchange today and in the future.

A broad design exploration resulted in multiple possibilities. Nearly 200 financial professionals and senior level executives were interviewed for their insights. Interviewees responded to a select set of logo designs rating them on a number of key attributes, including "dynamic," "stable," "innovative," "global" and "an exchange with stature."

Our new logo proved the clear winner, selected for its reinforcement of our strengths and positioning the American Stock Exchange for the future.