Helping Pathfinder, a financial company deeply rooted in authenticity, develop and grow without losing the distinct qualities that made it so special to its members in the first place.
.gif)
Pathfinder is a New Zealand based Kiwisaver and Managed Fund provider operating in the ethical investing space. Pathfinders were themselves change makers, and it was our role to inspire, encourage and enable them to speak to their truth.
By taking a customer-centric approach, we set out to transform Pathfinder’s brand strategy, identity and digital tools to match their ambitious vision, passion and expertise. It was a proposition centred on the values which mattered most to the customer. With the new brand identity defined, we set out to uncover how Pathfinder might show up, stand out and differentiate itself from key competitors through content, while meeting the brand objectives and purpose.
Through customer research with existing and potential customers we identified areas of interest and used the Investor Engagement Framework to map touchpoints. We built out ideas and then synthesised them into four concept areas that we tested with customers, delivering key areas to be used for content planning, prioritisation and brand planning.
Using the same framework, we were able to map and scope content ideas for future planning. A rigorous process was undertaken including interviews with internal stakeholders, customers and potential customers to understand a set of Pathfinder values. We learnt we needed to talk ethically without losing credibility, authority and confidence.
We landed on Balance as the core brand proposition, signalling the duality of the brand and referencing the idea of activating a movement. This gave us an identity which led to an abundance of storytelling, where illustrations are elegant with a hint of edge, giving a natural connection to the typographic treatment.
Typography, illustration and colour are key elements of the brand identity, which demonstrates Pathfinder’s unique offering. Touches of animated illustrations add lightness and interest to the website.
