Mutual of Omaha replaces Native American logo with one that’s a nod to company’s past
Mutual of Omaha debuted a new corporate logo Thursday, replacing its iconic Native American chief with an African lion.
Though the financial services company is moving on from its signature symbol of the last 70 years, executives say Mutual of Omaha will continue to be a “strong brand” consumers can rely on.
“Protection and strength — these are reflections of what we’ve always been as a company,” an announcement on the company’s website says. “We chose the symbol of the lion to more consistently reflect our mission, values and loyalty to our customers, associates, and community.”
The new logo is also a nod to the long-running wildlife TV program “Wild Kingdom,” which Mutual of Omaha sponsored. The show first aired in 1963 and has gone through multiple iterations with a revival on Animal Planet that ran from 2002 to 2011, and a YouTube channel dedicated to webisodes., according to the Omaha World-Herald.
“Not only does the lion symbol link us to the memorable history of Wild Kingdom, but it will also take us into an exciting new chapter in Wild Kingdom’s future,” the company’s website states.
Mutual of Omaha announced plans to replace its iconic logo as other brands, including Land O’Lakes and the Washington football team, also moved away from negative depictions that referenced Indigenous Americans, the Associated Press reported.
The company tried out four different logos before landing on the lion, which Keith Clark, the company’s senior vice president of marketing, said was a fan favorite.
“We tried tons of animals,” he told the Omaha World-Herald. “This one really rose to the top.”
The new symbol is live on Mutual of Omaha’s website, but executives say it will take time to replace the old logo on the company’s signage, printed materials and the 25-foot-tall emblem on its headquarters building in Omaha, AP reported.