“La couleur nous rapproche,” said Patricia Chaveau, outlining the new signature adopted by family-owned paint manufacturer Pébéo.
Operating from Gémenos, near Marseille, the century-old colour specialist unveiled a brand identity overhaul to reflect changing creative markets. Founded in Marseille in 1919, the firm remains under the guidance of the fourth generation of the Chaveau family.
The strategic shift addresses a creative sector where boundaries between fine arts and crafts continue to blur. New consumer demographics increasingly embrace hands-on creative practices, prompting the company to update its visual messaging.
Management said that the new brand territory responds directly to evolving consumer habits and applications. The updated signature embodies the firm’s mission to use creation as a social bridge across different generations and cultural backgrounds.
“Notre enjeu était de mieux exprimer ce que nous sommes,” said Antoine Chaveau, Petites Affiches reported. “Les pratiques et les publics évoluent, mais notre vocation reste la même : rendre la création accessible, encourager l’expérimentation et transmettre le plaisir de créer. Cette nouvelle identité fait le lien entre cet héritage et nos ambitions pour demain.”
Patricia Chaveau added context regarding the universal nature of the company’s output.
“La couleur est un langage universel,” she told Petites Affiches. “Elle traverse les générations, les cultures et les frontières. […] Mais au-delà de la couleur, ce sont les rencontres, les gestes et les histoires humaines qui nous inspirent. C’est cette conviction que nous souhaitons aujourd’hui partager à travers notre nouvelle signature.”
The business traces its origins to the development of early pigments in the late 1920s, followed by ready-to-use colours introduced in 1934. Today, the enterprise employs 150 staff members and operates three production facilities located in France, Tunisia, and China. Commercial operations span four primary divisions: Fine Arts, Graphic Arts, Creative Leisure, and Creative Education.
The revised visual identity incorporates the text “Marseille – 1919” directly into the logo. Company officials said that the addition honors both the geographic roots and the industrial expertise cultivated in a region traditionally linked to Mediterranean light and artistic production.
Beyond industrial manufacturing, the enterprise maintains active ties to the contemporary art community through long-standing partnerships. Eric Chaveau, has served as a founding member of the Mécènes du Sud contemporary art collective since 2003. Within Marseille, this support materializes through the Pébéo Prize awarded at two major international events: the Art-o-rama contemporary art fair and the Paréidolie contemporary drawing fair.
Winning artworks enter the company’s corporate collection, providing ongoing support to working artists.
Additional community outreach involves collaborations with the La Source association, established by artist Gérard Garouste to grant disadvantaged youth access to artistic training. The firm also hosts public painting workshops under the name Happy Paint.
