As the largest Grant Thornton International member firm, Grant Thornton LLP plans to roll out the new brand in two phases. Phase 1 concluded with the international rollout on Tuesday and included the relaunch of the firm's Web site, re-branded and re-designed, and a new advertising program for print, radio and television.

Phase 2, which will continue throughout the rest of 2008, includes the rebranding of the firm's thought leadership pieces and new marketing collateral, as they are released; event materials and signage; and existing marketing and other communications.

"The new brand will help all member firms that are part of the Grant Thornton organization become a more cohesive international organization and will help differentiate us from both our largest and smaller competitors," said Edmond Russ, Grant Thornton LLP's chief marketing officer and a member of the team that helped develop the new brand.

The logo consists of three elements: the symbol, the color and the Grant Thornton 'wordmark'. The inspiration for the symbol is the Mobius strip, discovered by mathematicians in the 19th Century. Its evolution into the Grant Thornton symbol captures the qualities of a continuous band that looks three dimensional, permanent, yet constantly flexible.