October 26, 1999

At press conferences in Frankfurt and Paris, Hoechst and Rhône-Poulenc today unveiled the new logo of the future Aventis. "We are proud to present to you the new logo of Aventis today," said Jürgen Dormann, the future Chairman and Jean-René Fourtou, future Vice-Chairman of Aventis.
"For our employees, customers, shareholders and the public at large, this logo will symbolize a new, international identity and an open, innovative corporate culture."

The logo, which consists of a symbol and the Aventis name, will be used in all internal and external communications after the closing, which is scheduled for December 15, 1999.

The logo is applicable to all the Aventis businesses, emphasized Dormann and Fourtou: "This will be the only logo used to represent Aventis around the world. It will be shared by all products and business areas." One of the reasons for this is to build a common identity and to ensure that the life science businesses of Aventis are quickly perceived to be part of a uniform whole.

"The name Aventis is a good choice for the new company: it can be easily pronounced in nearly every languages, it is easy to understand and to remember. The name and the logo will give the new company an unmistakable identity," Dormann and Fourtou explained.

Questions and answers concerning the logo

Why didn't Hoechst and Rhône-Poulenc keep their long-standing names?
The combination of Hoechst and Rhône-Poulenc into Aventis will create a new company that will be a world leader in life sciences. Aventis is more than the sum of the life science businesses of Hoechst and Rhône-Poulenc: The merger will give rise to an entirely new company with a new corporate vision and identity. In order to communicate this new beginning to customers, employees and shareholders, Hoechst and Rhône-Poulenc decided to select a new name and new logo for Aventis.

What do the Aventis name and symbol stand for?
The name and the symbol have very many positive associations. However, the way in which Aventis is perceived and its image in the public domain are influenced by many different impressions - through innovative products, international employees and a corporate culture characterized by openness and transparency. The symbol and the name are to give direction to these impressions without limiting them through predefined notions.

How do the name and the symbol fit together?
The Aventis logo consists of the name "Aventis" and the symbol. The two elements will not be used separately or augmented by the names of certain businesses. The consistent use of the logo in all businesses is intended to promote the fast development of a feeling of solidarity and an
unmistakable visual image - internally towards employees and externally towards customers and shareholders.

When will Aventis start using the new logo?
Aventis will begin using the logo around the world after the closing on December 15, 1999: for example in ads and brochures, on product packaging, and on company signs. The future businesses and business lines of Aventis are not permitted to use the logo before December 15
because the company will be a legal entity prior to that date. Nevertheless, the new logo is being presented today in order to prepare external and internal communication activities as far as possible.

Who developed the logo and how much did it cost?
The logo was developed by Corporate Branding, an agency based in New York. The logo is part of the Brand Design Guidelines that give binding descriptions, for example on the design of company stationery, business cards, brochures and product packaging. Since it is part of this overall concept, the logo cannot be viewed in isolation.

Company news release
N2207