Scenario
Golden Belt Bank has been around since 1920 and is well respected in its legacy market. The bank is caring, stable and conservative—a responsible local bank who does things the right way. Its existing brand personality is centered on serving the individual customer, forming personal relationships as only a community bank can, fulfilling financial dreams and sharing a conservative value system. But considering 100 years of service, the community doesn’t know the bank as well as it could. Also, Golden Belt Bank had acquired another bank in another state, creating a need to unify the teams and bring awareness to the new market. It was time for Golden Belt Bank to develop a more relevant and memorable visual identity, communicate the acquisition in a way that achieves clarity and unity, and evolve its brand messaging.
Perspective
As Golden Belt Bank neared its 100th anniversary, they were grappling with an outdated look and an acquisition that was creating fragmentation. What they needed was a single, clear identity and communications strategy both internally and externally to build a strong, unified brand. Our discovery revealed major brand equity in the name Golden Belt Bank, but the logo needed a remake. From our research, we discovered the bank was known and appreciated for very personal one-on-one service. “One story at a time” became a natural positioning statement around which to develop their brand language and visual system.
Solutions
It was decided the bank would keep the Golden Belt Bank name and use it across all communities served. This reduced confusion among customers and the community, and united employees under one shared mission and culture. We channeled the bank’s core values and brand traits into a more clear and vibrant brand identity, redesigned the logo using warmer colors and reflecting pages turning in a book. Both external and internal messaging tell the story of Golden Belt Bank, the financial partner who can help shine a light on the pages you’re turning—from preparing for college to building a family, owning a home, starting a business, and even making that dream retirement a reality. With a new brand and renewed excitement, the bank is poised for another 100 years of continued success.
