The Daisy Wheel

Mark Woodham & Allied international Designers' 1968 logo for The Royal Bank of Scotland.

In February 1968 it was announced that The Royal Bank of Scotland would merge with the National Commercial Bank to form The Royal Bank of Scotland Ltd. (RBS). As a result of this merger, the business would be much bigger, more diverse in its activities and complex in its corporate structure. Following a major reorganisation, members of the banking group became subsidiaries, and a new identity was required to unify the near-700 branches.

During this post-war era, identity had become an important way for banks to distinguish themselves from the competition. More high street banks emerged, giving customers the choice to ‘shop around’. RBS’ previous logo, a coat of arms, was respectable and a symbol of Scottishness. However, it was far from unique and failed to stand out from the coat of arms used by other banks and many other corporations.