Van Alphen & Associates Inc.
Rebrand and Business Cards
About Van Alphen & Associates
What I learned going in and what I noticed about the client
Van Alphen and Associates Inc. is a Windsor, Ontario-owned and operated business that provides debt solutions to operating businesses that may be struggling.
Van Alphen and Associates Inc. operates in the background of the finance world, providing companies with security and privacy while supporting them through their challenges.
I noticed that the incorporation’s “Vibe” was what I would call a “Silent Hero”. They want to be found and noticed by those who need them, but not seen or known by the general public. I kept that in mind.
Who are they and what does that look like?
Colour Palette
Overall, by asking who the audience is, I found that the average CEO is male and prefers a more masculine look in visuals. Blues, Golds, and Whites are the average colors they look for, since color psychology shows these colors (in North America) represent trust, honesty, success, healing, purity, and hope.
These are the feelings that a business in crisis and its CEO are looking for on a deeper psychological level.
Blue is also one of the more commonly used colors in banks (See: Bank of Montreal, RBC, Bank of America, or Citibank as examples).
With this knowledge, I built a palette with both deep and lighter tones and scaled them for broader use throughout the branding.
Insight.
Integrity.
Proven Results.
What the client asked for, wanted, and communicated
In our conversations with the client, we agreed that the new logo, branding, and business card should be simple and professional while still inviting and engaging.
So, we started with that as a very broad base, then we added more: Masculine, Feminine, Gender Neutral? Geometric or natural? Bold or Delicate?
Once we established this, I looked at the main Insolvency Trustee’s personality and correlated it with the average personality type you would see in a finance role, or a CEO role in a general business setting. This helped me understand what the average client would look for visually when choosing an insolvency trustee.
So to solve this, I worked with colour, psychology, and analytics to make the product.
Typography
The Insolvency Trustee I worked with throughout the process really gave me a sense of how to choose the type.
She reminded me of these words:
I narrowed them down, and one term stood out more than the others: Avant-Garde, a font that fit the narrative we were trying to establish.
San Serif Fonts
Bold
Clean
Simple
Driven
Avant-Garde
Assertive
Upfront
Honest
Professional
Stands Tall; and
Professional
Logo ReDesign
This was the old logo.
The type portion was easier after I matched the personality to the font; I wanted something bold to grab attention and keep the focus on the name of the main associate who owns and operates the business. As the sole proprietor, their name needs to be remembered, and their voice needs to be heard. So I bolded the name and made Associates Inc. much lighter to keep the overall spotlight on the sole proprietor.
The iconography was created by combining the two sections of the last name, allowing the V and A to form a checkmark pattern and creating a rotational abigram with two visuals. This allows any form of print media to keep the iconography upright and recognizable at first glance.
Business Cards and Stationary
The business card allowed the sole proprietor to present themselves not just as a business but as a person.
Additional assets
In addition to the logo, I pulled some iconography from the main Icon to create symbolism for potential future client projects. I kept them aligned with the main logo to stay on brand, but allowed them to feel playful to keep an easy connection with the audience.
Not everything in insolvency should be completely serious; it’s a delicate area to tackle, emotions run high, urgency is at its max, and a completely serious visual can amp up the stress.
So, we allowed the geometric shapes to have some play in the gambit.
Takeways
Insolvency is part of a more emotional field than we think it is (it’s not just finance). It’s a career that deals in loss and hardship of something that was built up.
Tactical emotional literacy is needed in the overall “scheme” of things.
Impact
By humanizing the brand while keeping the look professional, we were able to establish a look and feel that will speak to the intended audience with a nonjudgmental, healing, and hopeful voice while providing the encouragement of success and integrity needed.
Reflections
Emotional storytelling can come from places you don’t expect it.
Sometimes a tagline can help give a “punch” or “pop” to things.
Programs Used
Pencil and Paper
