Today, the insurance company LÍV is announcing the new name and logo of the new building at Óðinshædd. Earlier this year, the company launched a naming and branding contest. After reviewing well over a hundred suggestions, the judging panel has now reached agreement on a new name and logo.
52 people participated in the competition, and over a hundred suggestions were submitted. Norse mythology — especially the god Óðinn — was a recurring theme among many of the proposals.
We are overwhelmed by the great interest and want to thank everyone who took the time to send us their suggestions,” says Angela Lindenskov á Bøgarði, marketing coordinator at LÍV.
The Name
Although many of the name suggestions were good, none were quite precise enough. The judges had the authority to choose from the pool as they pleased — but they also had the option to select none. Nevertheless, they were inspired by the many great proposals, and from that, a new name emerged.
“The name is Óðinsbrú, and it fits well with the location. ‘Brú’ is, of course, an old form of the word for ‘bridge’, and the building stands tall on the hilltop, where it somewhat resembles a ship’s bridge. One can imagine Óðinn standing at the helm, gazing out over Nólsoyarfjørður,” Angela explains.
The Logo
While no name was directly chosen from the submissions, the logo competition had a different outcome. Among all the elegant logo ideas, one stood out immediately. In its striking simplicity, the logo felt modern, while the classical color scheme gave it a sense of dignity.
“As seen in the image, the line above the ‘O’ doesn’t slant but is horizontal. This breaks orthographic rules but opens up new interpretations. While a slanted line suggests tension, a horizontal one symbolizes balance, precision, and security — perfectly reflecting the purpose of the building, where Norðoya Sparikassi and we at LÍV will soon be located,” Angela notes.
Henry á Fríðriksmørk won the logo competition and says the following about the design:
“Viewed purely as shapes, the logo is simply a circle and a line. Some might think of binary data (zeros and ones), others may see a golden crown and think of money. Perhaps someone even sees a hint of something sacred — like a halo or a royal crown. I wanted the logo to be open to interpretation.”
The logo will become part of the visual identity of the new building, which will be named Óðinsbrú. And it must be said, the name and logo complement each other well, as together they represent leadership, vision, and security — the very key values of LÍV and Norðoya Sparikassi, who work with life insurance and manage others’ finances.
“We’ve already grown used to the new name and logo, so now we’re just looking forward to moving in on August 4,” concludes Angela Lindenskov á Bøgarði, marketing coordinator at LÍV.