Aligning Brand and Business
Branding | Discovery | Client Relationships | Personas | Strategic Alignment | Leadership
The business:
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With its programs geared toward financial literacy in children, to being consistently voted “One of the Best Banks to work for,” by American Banker, this Financial Institution exceeds expectations with its people and asset management strategies. Reaching total assets valued at nearly $25 billion dollars, this organization has a long standing legacy of excellence.
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The challenge:
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Stuck between the traditions and legacies of the past, and a desire to grow and “stay relevant,” this Texas Based Bank needed a more encompassing strategy for growth. By consulting strategists, designers, and content writers the brand began to see a disconnect between their organizational values and the patrons they want to attract and serve.
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The approach:
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As a business this bank had been going strong for years. The organization prides themselves on who they are, and their value proposition in the marketplace. With the goal of “staying relevant” in mind, I was brought on to focus on content hierarchy and usability best practices. However, I quickly began to notice that the patrons they wanted to attract didn’t align with their brand. Working with the bank’s internal branding team, I suggested we adjust the scope of the project to include a designer and a copywriter. Additionally I recommended going back to basics to adjust more than information architecture and general usability.
As I got deeper into the project I began to notice the bank’s internal team really connected with our copywriter. Instead of backpedaling and reviewing “roles and responsibilities” I worked with the copywriter to (on the surface) lead more of the discovery discussions. This emphasis on human relationships was exactly what the team needed. As a branding team they began to more openly discuss their values, limitations, and concerns and how these aligned with their predefined brand guidelines. With the help of our visual designer, we created moodboards that would eventually translate to data driven personas. Ultimately, matching the values of the brand to the people they serve, instead of an arbitrary target audience. |
The results:
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By re-exploring the voice and tone of the Financial institution, this Texas based Bank was able to relate more closely to their patrons, attracting new business based on what mattered most.
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