Computershare is in an invigorating moment of flux, chasing down unprecedented growth goals and investing in a comprehensive brand refresh to celebrate its 30th anniversary. As a pioneer in the financial-services space, this investment in brand and technology is an opportunity to create stronger alignment between the client and customer experience of the Computershare brand and how it shows up in the physical and digital world. Together, these efforts will elevate Computershare’s brand to reflect its reputation as a trusted, innovative global leader.
Client
Computershare
Role
Experience Designer
Timeline
Client Partnerships
Business Development
Strategy
Creative Director
Project Management
Experience Design
5 months (Original SOW including work with Business Development and Strategy teams over 10 months)
Teams
Brand refresh with product, web, and marketing applications
Long story short….
BACKGROUND
THE ASK
The first part of this brand refresh project had a strategic focus, with a revitalisation of the brand positioning that leveraged deep insights from internal employee and external client stakeholder interviews. From this work, we’ve developed a compelling positioning as well as mission, vision, and purpose statements, so now we need a visual identity that will help Computershare achieve its growth goals.
This brief marks the second part of our brand refresh project, which has a creative focus – a reimagining of the look and feel of the Computershare brand, in different forms of expression both digital and physical.
Create a refreshed visual identity for Computershare that reflects the new brand positioning, is unique and ownable in the market, and leaves a confident and inspiring impression with clients and customers.
This revived visual brand will be Computershare’s big opportunity to reengage current clients, while also making a captivating first impression on millions of potential new customers – a moment we will only get once as the company takes advantage of emerging markets.
AUDIENCE
B2B clients | An organisation that pays Computershare for services, e.g., a company issuing shares will use Computershare to manage their share register and the relationship with shareholders
B2C customers | An individual who is using one of Computershare’s tools in relation to a client company, e.g., a person managing their share portfolio
Computershare employees | The 16k+ people who work across Computershare’s five lines of business in 22 countries around the world
OPPORTUNITY
Misalignment | Computershare’s current visual brand has not been living up to the promise of the company’s services and products – employees and clients alike have been saying for years that it feels dated, dull, and clunky compared to the whip-smart service clients experience from Computershare specialists.
Confusion | Employees have expressed frustration with the lack of flexibility and guidance on how to adapt branded elements to the specific needs of their lines of business, prompting designers to create their own rogue systems and brand representations.
CURRENT STATE
UPDATED DESIGN SYSTEM
LAYOUT GUIDENACE
In order to create a strong brand identity for Computershare, the team developed a system where shapes and gradient strokes could form over product, web, and marketing interfaces seamlessly and recognizably.
SYSTEM IN USE
Our brand book provided comprehensive guidance on systems in use which allows Computershare teams to have a full-fledged understanding on the design system. They can use system in use slides to properly, cohesivley, and successfully implement the developed design system for marketing purposes and for product screens
PRODUCT GUIDEANCE
While the brand book focuses on the overall design system, Wongdoody wanted to create meticulous guidance on applications of elements within product screens. In addition to the brand book, we provided comprehensive screens on product guidance
HIGH FIDELITIES
RETAIL SCREENS
Our product deliverables consisted of screens that were institutionally focused as well as retail focused, emphasizing the difference on B2B and B2C customers. Overall, the screens apply the design system consistency throughout products, but contain distinct characteristics for their use cases and audiences.
After establishing a distinct different between Institutional and Retail use cases, we found that we could hone into the branding guidance for Retail Screens. We are able to utilize distinct, brand-focused shapes that are utilized more within marketing screens. Retail screens are able to utilize shapes found in the design system to indicate progress or draw attention to other elements on pages.
HIGH FIDELITIES
INSTITUTIONAL SCREENS
While collaborating with Computershare teams and assessing different audiences, user needs, and use cases, we found that a more mature and business minded interface and experience at large would best service this audience. With an already abundant amount of information on the page, this solution and guidance will allow the teams to cohesively implement design decisions on the rest of their institutional products.