Case study — Brand Identity
southcote financial.
how a new strapline, modernised tree icon and refined identity gave a financial adviser a sharper and more memorable market position.
project at a glance
brand principles
brand colours
typefaces selected
project deliverables
strapline — The Pension People
retained icon, completely modernised
before and after
familiar, but transformed.
The old tree had recognition. The new mark retained that connection while becoming something cleaner, bolder and more distinctly Southcote. Drag to compare.
the big idea
new strapline
"The Pension People."
Direct. Memorable. Specific. The line gave Southcote a clear area of ownership and made the proposition easier to understand at a glance. No generic financial-services language. Just what they do and who they are.
the challenge
clearer position. stronger brand.
Presenting every financial service with equal weight created a brand that was broad but forgettable. Southcote needed to own one idea first and let everything else support it.
01
lead with one specialism.
Pension advice became the central brand position, creating a clearer message for prospective clients and helping Southcote stand apart from general financial advisers.
02
retain existing recognition.
The established tree symbol remained part of the identity. Rather than discarding it, Blueprint redesigned it into a more abstract and modern mark.
03
modernise the typography carefully.
The client wanted to retain serif typography. Blueprint refined the type treatment, tightening spacing and structure to create a cleaner, more confident result.
04
build a distinctive visual system.
A new colour palette was developed to support the updated position, feeling professional and credible without becoming predictable or overly corporate.
the new logo
same roots. new mark.
The tree icon was the most recognisable element of the old identity. Blueprint kept the concept but stripped away the literal illustration, redrawing it as an abstract geometric mark that works at any size.
Always placed on a dark background
Ample clearance zone maintained at all times
Works across print, digital and signage
Embroidery and garment safe
Scales from favicon to billboard
icon variants
works on every background.
The abstract tree mark was designed to hold across all four brand background colours, giving Southcote complete flexibility across every touchpoint.
the colour palette
six colours. one coherent system.
Tap any colour to see its full specifications. The palette feels professional without being corporate, and warm without being informal.
typography
three typefaces. clear hierarchy.
Domaine Display for headings. Montserrat Black for sub-headings. Montserrat Light for body text. The system balances editorial elegance with clean, readable communication.
Domaine Display
Heading text
Elegant serif with refined editorial character, reinforcing the established and trustworthy feel of the brand.
Montserrat Black
Sub-heading text
Punchy and bold. Contrasts with Domaine to create clear visual hierarchy across all materials.
Montserrat Light
Body text
Clean and legible. Lets the content breathe across digital and printed formats.
brand in action
the brand document.
Browse through the full brand guidelines — logo usage, colour system, typefaces and photography direction. Arrow keys work too.
Brand guidelines cover
what we delivered
the full scope.
Sixteen deliverables from positioning through to final production-ready brand assets.
Brand positioning review
Pension-led proposition development
Strapline development
Visual identity strategy
Existing logo review
Tree icon redesign
Abstract logo development
Serif wordmark refinement
Typeface modification
Logo spacing and structure improvements
New colour palette
Primary logo
Alternative logo formats
Strapline lock-up
Brand application guidance
Final brand assets
the key lesson
easier to understand. easier to remember.
A successful financial-services rebrand should do more than modernise the logo. It should make the business easier to understand and easier to remember. The strongest opportunity for Southcote was to stop presenting every service with equal weight and establish a clear area of expertise.
the message became clearer.
"The Pension People" gave Southcote a simple and immediate proposition — clear enough to work on a business card and strong enough to anchor all other marketing.
recognition was protected.
The existing tree symbol and serif character were retained rather than discarded, ensuring existing clients and partners still recognised the brand.
the identity became stronger.
The abstract icon, tightened typography and refined colour palette created a more confident visual presence across every touchpoint.
the wider offer still had a role.
Additional financial services could continue to support clients without weakening the primary pension position. One lead idea, with room to grow.
blueprint's approach
faq
common questions.
does your brand make your specialism clear?
own your position.
A broad list of services does not always create a strong market position. Blueprint helps owner-led businesses identify what they should be known for and build a brand around that idea.
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