Brand new to the Nigerian banking industry, ProvidusBank needed to deliver a completely new brand, from concept to a 360-customer experience.

Challenge

ProvidusBank was launching off a clean slate to take its place as a new player in Nigeria’s competitive banking landscape. The bank needed to be positioned to deliver a high quality, differentiated but consistent customer experience, embedding a customer-centric culture across all levels  and channels of the bank. From identity to delivery, we needed to drive a single-minded, simple proposition that would bring the brand to life, adding value at every touchpoint to build a distinctive brand that consumers would trust, connect and grow with.

Our approach
After a comprehensive and in-depth industry comparison and qualitative Nigerian consumer profiling, we determined a key strategic thrust to differentiate the brand. Consumers were after personalised service that delivered innovative value. We needed a brand positioning to answer both this consumer mindset whilst defining a unique brand in its entirety. 

Strategic direction
Our research revealed that the Nigerian consumer wants a bank to meet them where they’re at. With smarter, more convenient and integrated banking solutions. Leveraging this insight, we positioned ProvidusBank to be just that. Offering streamlined, simple, easy and intuitive products and systems that make a real, everyday difference. We shifted the bank’s focus from product profitability to customer profitability. Positioning the bank around customers, not the other way around.

ProvidusBank’s new strategic position
We combined ProvidusBank’s functional benefits with their emotional ones, landing on the sweet spot of their competitive advantage. Their growth gap. Something they could become famous for. Future Forward Innovation.

Brand purpose
We developed a clear brand purpose, adding meaning and direction to the bank’s communication from identity to implementation. ProvidusBank is a bank driven to enrich lives, empower people and fuel business success through world class, innovative technology that delivers a quality product experience to all customers at every touchpoint.

Brand values

From its purpose to its personality, we also workshopped brand values that would resonate across the bank, unifying employees and defining the customer experience.

Customer first
No one tries harder for customers. We deliver consumer value and customer leadership faster, better and more completely than our competition.

Innovation
Knowledgeable and dynamic, we take the lead in harnessing new technologies and ideas, constantly shaping simple solutions to achieve new frontiers and quality product experiences for customers.

Smart
Our employees have the right skills and expertise to confidently address every client need. We provide professional, efficient and reliable financial performance, management and reporting support to all customers.

Partnerships
Approachable, warm and sincere, we forge enduring partnerships and will always go the extra mile. We believe each and every relationship is important, and we work hard to build trust and respect.

Value
We demonstrate value by helping our customers manage their finances and make the most of their money though reliable, quality products and services that enrich lives, empower people and fuel business success. Along with our brand strategy development, we developed tactics for ProvidusBank to attract and retain new customers. Identifying key segments from personal to business, institutional, private banking, e-banking (virtual branches) and online banking that would provide opportunities across audiences for ProvidusBank to build on and grow.

Creative direction:

Along with strategic brand development, we were tasked with creating a new corporate identity for the bank. This included the implementation of a unique visual language across multiple platforms, ranging from stationery, digital, social media, literature, advertising campaigns to bank cards, signage and environmental design (branch and ATM). 

Identity
Directed by our strategic brand positioning, our creative direction, supported ProvidusBank as a smart, innovative bank that sees customers as valued partners. The essence of the brand, Future Forward Banking, speaks to customised business banking solutions and smart, simple retail solutions. Bright yellow, like a new African dawn, the logo features a stylized hexagon constructed of five bands which represent the banks values. These values are crucial for building trust and stability. The six sides of the logo signify ProvidusBank’s commitment to provide innovative financial services, emphasizing service excellence, cost savings, speed, transparency, and innovation.

Tone of voice
Honest, efficient, smart and empathetic; we articulated a unique tonal guide to direct all verbal messaging and brand communication.  

Website and banking app
From grounding identity, we went on to design and build the bank’s website along with ProvidusBank’s banking app design. Bringing Future Forward Banking to life in the structure and content of both designs. Using a simplistic grid and UI design, such as the quick links panel, we created practical guides for the user to navigate easily through the site. Grouping information to easily focus each search with iconography and colour to create a clean, contemporary web environment.

Environmental design
The branch’s interior, signage and ATM design was developed to continue the Future Forward narrative at this critical, physical, consumer touchpoint. Inspired by the horizontal profiles contained within the logo icon signage, we developed the concept for exterior pylons and suspended signage, ATM shroud design as well as the bank’s interior way-finding elements. All signage was built in SA and shipped to Nigeria, for hands-on detail and control, ensuring the highest quality product.

Retail
Using the threshold space we not only welcomed customers into the ProvidusBank environment, but we introduced customers to a series of visual communication tools as well as a number of digital interactive devices. Delivering an aspirational and approachable environment that speaks to future innovation, making it engaging and accessible.

Book Design
In honour of the Future Forward ethos that ProvidusBank embodies, we developed a coffee table book called ‘Pioneering Spirit’. Encapsulating the brand’s core values and driving purpose. The book presented a snapshot of the world’s history; profiling individuals who chose to not only walk the road less travelled but blazed a new path forward. Featuring greats like Deola Sagoe, C&R Eames, Bennet Omalu, Coco Chanel, Chuck Taylor and Theodor Seuss Geisel, along with 44 others, the coffee table book inspires readers to change the world around them for the better, in their own unique way.

Return on investment

Providusbank had a 5-year window for becoming profitable as a new bank in a crowded financial market. We created a strong, standout brand within this cluttered market, a definitive and detailed style guide that was followed accurately. With no ATL communication whatsoever in the first two years of business, the brand was well received and highly regarded and the bank started making a profit after 2 years of operation, 3 years ahead of schedule.