Defying convention, the company's new identity and brand positioning which was developed by brand specialists, HKLM, includes a distinctive new logo and new livery but omits a tag-line. That's been left up to the investment company's stakeholders to develop.
Derrick Msibi, managing director at Investment Solutions, explains the novel approach. “We've become SA's largest multi-manager through innovation. We operate differently, we engage with our clients and our people differently and our service delivery is out of the ordinary. More recently, the company has reinvented many of its operating fundamentals to position for growth and we wanted a new corporate identity that reflected these key differentials. We also wanted a new visual identity that would drive market acceptance and recognition in both local and global markets.
“While the new logo and brand framework is truly reflective of our philosophy and direction, we believe that our interactions with our stakeholders should determine our brand promise over time.
The new logo of five interlocking circles was informed by the company's five pillars of success (proven investment performance, a focus on human resources and a client-centric operation, sophisticated systems and technology and transformation). “These circles also represent dynamism, intelligence, sophistication, distinction and global alignment and give the organisation a template for aligning corporate strategy and corporate image over the next 10 years of our journey,” Msibi said.
A predominantly black, white and silver colour palette reinforces the premium positioning, while a secondary colour range enables differentiation among various business units. The visual imagery is strong yet fluid, contemporary yet timeless.
The repositioning reinforces the company's strategy of establishing itself as a leading independent multi-manager and a newly-formed marketing department is developing strategies to ramp up corporate visibility and relevance. The launch of the new identity coincides with the launch of a wide-ranging print advertising, public relations and direct marketing campaign targeting both internal and external audiences.
The print campaign highlights Investment Solutions' key differentials, emphasizing that it gives clients a far more complex, precise and structured service than that of its competitors. The campaign has two visual executions, the first one featuring a conductor and an orchestra and the second featuring a cox in a rowing boat, with the body copy reading ‘This is what we do with investment managers' - ‘We find the best and we get the best out of them'.
“The visuals and logo communicate the powerful message that Investment Solutions manages and co-ordinates a range of elements including the selection, monitoring and blending of our managers to provide optimum results for our clients,” Msibi concluded.
