So the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) has been reshuffled off this mortal coil. Vast sums will, no doubt, be spent coming up with a clever new logo and branding for the hideously-renamed Department for Productivity, Energy and Industry (DPEI).

The fact that British government departments, agencies and assorted public bodies all have seperate logos and brand identities is a bit odd. They are all part of one aparatus, after all. Wouldn’t it make more sense &mdash, and be substantially cheaper when sudden re-organisations occur — if all state bodies simply adopted some uniform design that can be easily amended? You know, symbolising joined-up Government and all that?

That’s what Canada does under its Federal Identity Program. Australia and Germany have similar approaches to their governement departments’ “corporate design”.

Perhaps a brand consultant could be found who would make this suggestion at great expense to the tax payer.