Financial Service Company logos

Why Branding Pays Off

It's no secret that branding is a term that gets tossed around quite a bit in the corporate environment. Take consumer products like Apple or GE for instance, who put a rather big dollar value on their respective brands. But sometimes , things get pulled in the wrong direction, as they did for BP because of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Because of this accident or mishap, the multi-million dollar company lost a chunk of their brand value and this had a big impact on their overall sales and profits. This is why it makes perfect sense when CEOs of these companies treat brand management as a high priority and invest time and money to foster them.

Financial advisors aren't any different. Let's say your logo isn't up on billboards all across the nation but you think that you are providing the best services and playing a crucial role in the lives of your customers as an advisory authority. You think that your practice is fine because your website is visited by loyal customers who ask for a lot of advice

In such a situation, your first instinct would be to pass off brand design as something that may take a lot of time and money which could be utilized in another way. You might also fancy the idea of spending the same energy and resources working within close quarters of your clients. Even though these are valid justifications, you are potentially ignoring the bigger picture. The simple truth is that investment in brand identity design really pay off in more than one way.

Branding paves the way for financial experts by making use of strategic solutions, especially when it comes to matters relating to business development and retention. Similarly, logo design is a crucial part of the equation, and helps you push your brand and service forward.

Brand Identities under the Microscope

In the global economy, financial services take up a large chunk of the pie. With the brutal competition in this industry, it is necessary that a company stands out in any way possible. This is especially true for financial companies that work at a more personal level with clients because it really pays to have an attractive logo design and brand that is easily identifiable not just among current clients, but future prospects as well. How crucial is it exactly to have branding for a financial service company? To some degree, this depends on your area of specialization but you must keep in mind that almost all companies share more or less the same downsides if they make the mistake of not having a branding strategy.

Famous Banks Logos

Let's stray off-topic for just a moment to discuss what brand identity and branding really is. A brand can be a multitude of experiences and/or associations tied to a service, an individual or other element, while a brand identity is how the business owner wants his customers to perceive that brand which is - a key component of brand recognition and how customers distinguish it from competitors. A logo is a visual representation of your brand identity and is a vital component that speaks volumes about your recognition in the industry.

What Is So Special about Brand Identity?

Financial service companies have several organizational levels and among them, practices towards brand identity can vary according to popularity, consumer demand and marketing methods. So for instance, the practices of a large commercial bank are going to be significantly different from those of a small financial advisory, so you shouldn't copy the other because it will simply not suit your brand and corporate image.

A little perspective and insight into the context of your competitors and how consumers view your brand will lead you to understand that branding is integral, and needs investment in time and money for it to flourish.

Banks and financial institution logos have focused on a serious, often conservative and solid message that stresses on stability for a long time. This concept however, has started to wither away over the past decade or so because if you look closely, you will realize that the more modern message speaks to consumers about how personal banking actually is. It can be quite challenging to balance that personal aspect with stability. You must note that relatively smaller banks and others forms of financial institutions try their level best to stand out among local markets which prefer conservative branding, compared to more personal logos that are used by the nation's preferred banks.

Here are some of the most brilliant financial service logos that boast solid design principles:

Financial Services Company Logos

What you see are some really classy and prestigious designs that may very well give you a fair idea about the scope of service provided by such institutions. All of them sport a clean and sophisticated look that can attract and inspire prospects by the numbers.

Rebranding it Right

From the above examples, certain trends can easily be identified. Smaller local banks prefer the use of textual treatment and prefer opting for more conservative colors but, lack the appeal of larger financial institutions whose logos stand out by making use of typography, industry related colors such as red and blue, and their name to say it all.

Whichever approach you take, keep in mind the kind of branding message you want to convey to your customers, as well as the financial products or services that you offer to them. Branding is all about sending your message to the consumers even when your office is not around the corner. Once established, it would be easier to brand and design your identity.