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RECM - Corporate and visual identity

RECM came to Firedog with a garish identity (In silver and orange) which did not convey their values. Our first step was to redefine the logotype and create a confident and serious colour palette.

We wanted to convey the brand essence through a memorable visual language. We created a strategic positioning around a contrarian theme.

We developed a visual story which would support and convey the brand. We commissioned an up and coming sculptor to create an artwork inspired by the business proposition that we had created.

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the client

Regarding Capital Management / RECM, a leading independent financial brand and asset management firm.

The Brief

RECM is unlike many fund management companies. They are to the point, do not like to boast and want intimate relationships with a small amount of clients. They believe it is not always wise gaining clients rapidly. If you’re confident enough, clients will choose you, rather than the other way round. Firedog’s brief was to create a financial brand that reflected these values within the company, yet retained the equity that already existed.

The Solution

Considering the profile of the client’s investors, we felt that the brand look and feel needed to not only have a premium feel, it also required a visual communication at an intellectual level. We decided on using a strategy we have termed as the ‘brand story’. We decided on creating a close visual metaphor by documenting a creative process that we could then align to the RECM brand values. As the value of art collections in boardrooms is also greatly respected, we decided that an undiscovered sculptor (yet with great potential) who was tasked with the creation of a piece of art would add great value to the financial brand. We sourced an up-and-coming artist, Marieke Prinsloo and documented the creation of her sculpture over a three week period. This involved interesting phases such as ironworking, welding, silicon moulding and concrete fabrication. The result is a look and feel firmly rooted in reality and is beautifully natural in its creation and although the imagery was generated in the apple growing regions of the Cape, it translates well to RECM’s international markets.

The Results

The final piece has also been placed in the RECM headquarters in Cape Town and is guaranteed to accrue value over time – a testament to the brand story concept.

We then commissioned a photographer to capture the entire process from start to finish over a period of two weeks. The creative collaboration provided unique and powerful imagery.

The completed identity brings together a broad set of assets within a structured framework resulting in a stimulating and dynamic identity.

The subsequent communications for the brand deliberately restricted the visual look and feel to the primary elements, creating a cohesive and striking identity.

The sculptor created a strong iconic piece, which not only supports the brand identity, but resides permanently in the RECM headquarters.

We created the messaging within the themes of the artistic process - structuring the copy so that the audience could easily grasp the key messages. Here, the message of strong foundations in investing, is shown in parallel with the sculptors own due diligence.

One of the key ideas behind the brand story was to create a narrative which took a somewhat formal sector to another level. We provided the background story behind the imagery, in order for the print to be inspiring and retained by the reader.

The identity extended to all facets of the business - Using the simple logotype, combined with a clean layout style and supported by the brand visual metaphor.