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Sygnia - Corporate identity and communications

The branding utilises a unique silhouette of Africa combined with the sigma symbol - A homage to the cumulative total within spreadsheets. This ties in with the brand positioning, 'The sum of all things'.

The supporting brand identity utilises a double bar device, which again links to the concept of addition. The visual aesthetic is deliberately restrained and minimal, with colour reserved for campaigns and supporting visuals.

The visual identity relies on a combination of analytical black and white forms, geometric type and custom XRAY imagery, which has been created by UK photographer and artist, Nick Veasey.

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the client

Sygnia Asset Management is a listed financial firm based in Cape Town and Johannesburg that offers investment products to institutional and private clients.

The Brief

Firedog were originally commissioned to originate a brand born out of South Africa yet created to be associated with European and North American markets. Sygnia wanted a brand that not only demonstrated their analytical methodologies, but delivered an elegant identity that would be confident on the world stage. Firedog in Cape Town continues to routinely deliver for Sygnia, looking after the majority of design and communications across brand, campaign and digital platforms.

The Solution

Back in 2003, Firedog produced a unique and visually appealing identity that exemplifies Sygnia’s core message, ‘The Sum of All Things’. In a highly competitive market, the newly formed Sygnia needed to wow its clients and threaten its competitors. For this reason, Firedog chose to use x-ray photography to support the organic yet highly calculated aspect of the fund business. Firedog used visually delicate natural objects such as shells and flowers to be traversed by a set of mathematical equals lines. Each element of the design is symbolic. Not only is it implied that Sygnia conforms to the regimental black and white nature of the financial industry, it is also suggested that they move beyond this, into full colour – a pun on several other South African Investment Banks. Sygnia goes beyond the grey.

The Results

Since Firedog having created the brand in 2003, the Sygnia business has gone from strength to strength with the development of proprietary system products such as Platinum and Alchemy, alongside a well-developed and diverse investment offering. We are very proud of this long-standing relationship with one of Africa's greatest challenger brands.