DuoBank - Ove Brand Design

Can financial products help
businesess connect with
customers on a personal level?

Can financial products help businesess connect with customers on a personal level?

Walmart Canada Bank sign on a blue interior office wall

THE OPPORTUNITY

Following Walmart Canada’s sale of its banking division, Ove was asked to develop a distinct brand that conveyed the sense of pride felt by associates in becoming a leading Canadian bank offering customizable financial services. The goal was to bring out the core values behind the success – expertise, innovation and customer focus.

THE OUTCOME

Ove defined the company’s value and vision in the marketplace through a brand strategy platform, name, logo and visual identity system. They were designed to capture the essence of Duo Bank: building relationships and putting customers first.

Since 2010, Walmart Canada bank had been providing value-driven financial products to Canadians. Building on the foundation of Walmart’s “living better”, the bank was geared to be a different kind of lender – one that helped businesses connect with their customers by delivering customizable financial services solutions. After the sale of the banking division, the new bank was ready to grow and diversify its business beyond Walmart and towards new clients.

The journey towards change

Drawing inspiration from the bank’s foundational DNA and after collaboration with their leadership team, Ove helped bring their vision to life. A distinct brand and culture started to take shape, different from other traditional and alternative banks, and what emerged was a partner bank that adds true value. Key positioning statements were developed:

Providing value-driven financial services to help people live better
Helping businesses connect with their customers to build stronger, more loyal and rewarding relationships.

Duo Bank is a different kind of financial services company. Born out of Walmart Canada Bank, Duo Bank helps businesses connect with their customers to build stronger, more loyal and rewarding relationships.”

The creation of a new and authentic brand identity

The name: Ove created the name Duo Bank as it speaks to the essence of partnerships. The short name, expressed through a simple, all lower-case, custom-designed typeface, is easy to understand and signals a straightforward, approachable and trustworthy bank.

The symbol: A bold, dimensional ‘D’ was created with dual lines that move in unison and intersect to further capture the essence of partnership. The innovative use of colour and graphics define a solid and memorable identity. Curved lines and details from the wordmark echo the lines expressed in the dimensional D for a connected mark.

Imagery: The visual expression supports the vision and mission, with imagery featuring approachable faces that provide a sense of innovation, authenticity and agility. Combined with a bold supergraphic on solid colours, the expression is recognizable and distinctly Duo Bank.

Brand colours: The core colour, plum, stands out as unique within the banking sector, helping to communicate that this is not your traditional lender. Plum is complemented with a deep grey-blue tone that imparts a sense of trust. Additional bright colours compliment the palette to convey a contemporary tone that is both optimistic and value-driven.

The result is a brand that is focused on doing what’s right for clients and achieves its goals in the most inspiring, innovative, value-driven and collaborative way possible.