The new look
Describing the Card One Money brand work as a ‘refresh’ would be doing it a considerable disservice. The work goes far beyond a new logo and fresh colours. We’ve brought the brand into the Equals Group family in the latest step in our journey to becoming the leading consumer payments business in the UK.
We wanted to move the brand forward, ensuring it's dynamic and functional across various platforms with a sharper focus to encourage transparency and trust in our products and services and be distinctive in our category. We crafted a new logo that encompasses everything Card One Money is as a business: customer-centric.
Number one
The '1' element was incorporated into the ‘n’ of the word ‘one’, representing singularity and individualism, everyone’s circumstances and requirements are different and unique. It also reflects the brand's purposes: accessible, human, reliable, and empowering.
Colour palette
Primary colours now have more contrast. The COM Pink is vibrant and energetic to help stand out from the crowded marketplace and establish a difference. The black infuses a sense of safety accompanied by simple, calm, and supporting grey tones.
Keeping it in the (font) family
All typography has been aligned to use the Equals Group typeface. A custom font family creates uniformity across the group's businesses and shapes the character and personality of the core brand identity.
Photography
In a category dominated by over-stylised imagery, we shifted focus and decided on a photography style that puts individuals front and centre. Eye contact is very important as the model extends outwards to the audience, which leads to an immediate human connection where the reader is present and involved in the scene.
We developed a theme of ‘modest individualism’. The black and white styling is honest, straightforward and no-nonsense, and doesn’t confuse or overwhelm the services we provide. We wanted to represent everyday individuals, connect with the reader and make their character shine through.
Cards for everyday use
The new cards are instantly recognisable and kept simple: white for personal and black for business. Card numbers are on the back for added security, minimising the risk of anyone taking your details.
Illustrations
The hand-drawn illustration style weaves character and personality through the brand. Playful, welcoming and opens fun and entertaining application possibilities to create ownable brand moments.
Digital revolution
We’ve redefined the information architecture of the marketing site to make it much more customer-friendly and easy to navigate with lots of white space to reflect simplicity and transparency. Every design element has a clear purpose and brings helpful information to the fore.
Wrap up
Rebranding an established business is never an easy task, but the work done for Card One Money was particularly special. By truly understanding their customers and crafting a brand identity that resonates with them, we helped Card One Money reach even more businesses and individuals who lack access to traditional banking services, empowering them to achieve financial freedom. Overall, this project demonstrates how a company can stay true to its core values while evolving to meet the changing needs of its customers and the marketplace.
