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Lero implemented new branding in recent years to better reflect the expanded role it has taken since being founded in 2005.
Lero, the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) research centre for software, has received recognition at the 20th Annual International Business Awards for its recent rebranding efforts.
The research centre received a Silver Stevie Award in the ‘Re-Branding/Brand Renovation of the Year’ category. The other winner of the silver award was TriNet, a HR consulting company with an office in Dublin.
Lero was founded in 2005 as Ireland’s research centre for software and now works with 11 higher education institutions across Ireland. In 2020, Lero partnered with Irish branding company Bradley to refresh its brand and to better reflect its evolved and expanded role.
The new branding was launched and implemented over 2021 and 2022. Nicola Corless, Lero’s marketing and communications manager, said the new brand incorporates Lero’s ethos into the centre’s tagline – ‘Software For a Better World’.
“Brand can be so subjective, so it is really heartening to have ours recognised by experts in the field,” Corless said. “I have to compliment all those involved in the development of the brand, especially the in-house leadership team, and our external partners Bradley but also, the huge number of Lero members across Ireland who engaged in the brand development process.”
This marks the second award Lero has won so far this year. In February, the SFI research centre was recognised by the Young European Research Universities Open Science Awards, for its commitment to open science principles.
The centre launched an Open Science Charter last October, months after the US government updated policy guidance on open access, which was expected to substantially expand public access to taxpayer-funded science research across the world.
In May, Lero began a collaboration with Munster Technological University to make shipping container cranes ‘smarter’. Last month, Lero researcher Dr Sarah Robinson spoke to SiliconRepublic.com about responsible software development.
Lero director Prof Brian Fitzgerald said the latest award was a fitting tribute to the centre’s new brand and the work that went into making it.
“Lero has built an outstanding reputation over the years and as a result, we are immensely protective of our brand, so we were naturally cautious at the outset,” Fitzgerald said. “However, Nicola led the project with vision and we are very proud of the centre’s new look which clearly represents Lero, its research strands, its ethos and its values.”
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