CommBank launches new visual identity
Commonwealth Bank has unveiled a new brand strategy and visual identity using a thinner font, five years after its major repositioning around the ‘Can’ proposition.
Created by M&C Saatchi’s branding company RE, the new identity sees CommBank drop the Aachen typeface adopted in 2012 by previous chief marketing officer Andy Lark.
The bank told Mumbrella it has been replaced by FS Silas Sans. (Updated March 2: The bank now says it has been replaced by a customised font family which is similar to the FS Silas Sans typeface.)
As part of the new brand strategy and identity, the bank has also unveiled an advertising campaign asking Australians to go to its website and tell it what matters most to them.
Commonwealth Bank’s new typeface was revealed in its latest campaign
CommBank’s previous Aachen font
Created by M&C Saatchi, the new campaign, preented as a listening exercise, includes a TV ad urging customers and businesses to talk to the bank about the issues and challenges they face on topics such as financial wellbeing.
The ad shows close ups of Australians varying in age, careers, lifestyle and ethnicity with questions posed in front of their faces such as ‘Does he need more than rain?’, ‘Do you kids have the skills they need for tomorrow?’, and ‘Does our society truly embrace everyone?’
https://youtu.be/yLg7RX36ygw
People are asked to answer the questions on the Commonwealth Bank website.
Commonwealth Bank will also use its ATM network for the first time, asking customers to answer the questions through the machines.
Stuart Tucker, CommBank’s GM of brand, sponsorship and marketing services said it was important Commonwealth Bank addressed important issues in Australians’ lives.
“This new campaign is all about showing Australians that we understand the uncertainty they’re feeling, and to help them find new paths forward,” Tucker said.
The campaign will also feature on Commonwealth Bank’s ATM network.
Michael Canning, executive creative director at M&C Saatchi said: “This new platform is designed to listen to people’s views around Australia, so that CommBank can understand their needs and concerns, before partnering with them to help them achieve their financial goals.”
Credits:
CBA
- GM of Brand, Sponsorships and Marketing Services: Stuart Tucker
- Executive Manager, Integrated Brand & Social Communications: Tamisine Heath
- Executive Manager, Brand Strategy: Linda Manos
- Marketing Manager: Emma Squires-McCarthy
- Social Manager, Operations: Matt Norton
M&C Saatchi Agency
- Executive Creative Director: Michael Canning
- Creative Directors: Tim Green, Andy Flemming, Shane Gibson, Guy Futcher, Brendan Donnelly
- Managing Partner: Lee Simpson
- Group Account Director: Tanya Vragalis
- Senior Account Director: Kezia Quinn
- Account Director: Tori Davis
- Project Director: Danielle Mountford
- Brand Strategy Director: Nicky Bryson
- CBA Strategy Lead: Alex Roper
- TV Production: Rod James, Lil Ireland
- Head of Print Production: Trent Henderson
- Senior Print Producer: Greg Hyslop
- Creative Workflow: Sharon Georgiou, Natalie Lavelle-Mangan
- Executive Integrated Design Director: Matt Willis
- UX Director: Ken Marlewski
- Design Director: James Jamias
- Senior Motion Graphics Designer: Cameron Nash
- Senior Integrated Designer: Rod Robles
- Digital Designers: Harry Tuckwell, Danielle Pontes, Bianca Cassaniti
- Digital Producers: Kevin Bintoro, Emma Wetton, Jaz Lumsdaine
- Lead Finished Artist: Salvatore Liseo
- Finished artist: Holly Jones
- Head of Retouching: Adam Holden
- Senior Retoucher: Richard Hughes
RE:
- Managing Director: Patrick Guerrera
- Creative Director: Colin Cornwell
- Associate Design Director: Ali Ozden
- Head of Verbal Branding: Shannon Bell
- Strategist: Zoe Bruce
- Senior Account Director: Sarah Burling
- Senior Copywriter: Jane Duru
- Senior Designer: Alex Creamer
- Designer: Alex McLauchlan
- Senior Designer / Motion Designer: Sumita Maharaj
Pool Collective
- Director: Simon Harsent
- Photographer: Sean Izzard
- Executive Producer: Cam Gray
- Production company producer: Honae McNeill
Heckler
- Aborah Buick – Head of Production
- Editor: Andrew Holmes
- Compositor: Max Peillon
TRUST …. it’s an important word. Do Australians trust the banks? Do they trust the banks enough to let them even further into their lives? Do consumers want the banks involved in their life decisions? Banks … businesses that are making enormous profits whilst continuing to sell consumers investment products they don’t need and lend money to those that in an interest rate squeeze, can’t pay it back. Is there new research in the market that says otherwise? Yes, the world needs new ways forward but I’m not sure anyone feels like that direction will come from self serving banks. Nice update with the typeface though, much friendlier.
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Comm Bank has a ‘new font’ – jolly good but is this really news worthy Mumbrella?!
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Hi New Font Hooray,
While I do take your point, CommBank is Australia’s biggest banking brand, and brand identity does arguably get less attention than it deserves.
I, for one, will always remember where I was when I heard the CommBank was switching from Aachen to FS Silas Sans…
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
OH MY GOD!
Earth-shattering news – a new font. Be still my beating heart.
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So they have changed their visual identity by changing their typeface. What a ‘massive’ project undertaken by RE: The agency credits 1 MD, 5 creatives, a strategist and senior AD, head of verbal and a copywriter all to change the font. Seriously???
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be nice if there was some rationale around how the refinements to the identity tie into a desire for a more interactive relationship with the bank… while the look is more modern, the tone and concept I think is a return to a pompous and paternalistic era of banking. I’d love to be on welfare, taking out my last 20 bucks and being asked about the Australian property dream. Or maybe the message is tailored to my balance. How to make $20 go further at Aldi. Intimacy at scale? Or asking pointless questions the bank can’t and won’t do anything meaningful about anyway.
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Time will tell. By being daring enough to ask these series of questions, and bring these issues to the surface, I’m sure CommBank is intending to get a better understanding of how people feel about banks in general and then address them.
Plus a new font!
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Looks similar to typeface used in same space by AMP, particularly in a few years ago when they asked “What will you look forward to?”
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Royal commission now
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Just Tim wanting to minimise the PR story for M&C. And make it all about the font. You’d be a gun at limbo Tim.
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Hi Basically,
Why not take a read of the story? You might notice the brand identity work was carried out by an M&C sister agency.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
Fonts are brrt
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I agree, can’t believe so many creatives involved to change the typeface. Good to see your bank fees are going to a good place. Not even news worthy. Go to Asia and see amazing creativity through public art, architecture and design. Australia is way behind in innovation, technology, design and about everything else.
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Very retro. Coming in strong 3 years after the world agreed this was the most over used song…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com......_n_5455356
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Go and live in China if you think Australia is so behind the times.
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