iCrossing UK
iCrossing is a digital marketing agency that works with businesses to create a real step-change.
Alpian - Building a brand for a digital-first private bank aimed at Switzerland's mass affluent market
Discover how we built a brand for disruptive digital banking start-up, Alpian.
The challenge: Creating a brand for a disruptive digital start-up
We were tasked by Swiss Private Bank, Reyl, to name, brand and position a groundbreaking all-digital start-up they were backing. The key would be to do so in a way that allowed a completely disruptive company to be accepted - and ultimately, licenced - by the famously conservative Swiss Private Banking Authority, FINMA.
Client testimonial:
“The brand is absolutely a perfect reflection of what we are trying to achieve with Alpian. It is pretty rare that design aesthetics meet the standards I set, but this brand does. Simple, clean, elegant, and meaningful. I want to thank you again for bringing this to us.”
Overview: First wholly digital Swiss Private Bank
To be the first wholly digital Swiss Private Bank was a key component of the business from the moment it was first conceived. Before it even had a name, this positioned Alpian as a massive changemaker in an industry that has prided itself on being largely unchanged for centuries. The branding needed to reassure both the Swiss banking authorities and potential customers that a digital Swiss Private Bank could offer all the benefits of a traditional one - security, expertise, outstanding service - whilst delivering the convenience and connectivity of a state-of-the-art digital interface.
Approach: The importance of a well thought out brand
Our brand process is designed to identify and deliver the key elements of a brand in just four weeks. So it was the ideal framework for Alpian, who were working to a presentation deadline set by FINMA. Bringing the iCrossing team and client stakeholders together, the highly collaborative nature of our brand process proved the perfect way to build out all the elements of a truly premium and innovative brand well before FINMA’s deadline and Alpian’s first confident step towards gaining full Swiss Private Bank status.
Execution: Brand Workshop - Exploring inspiration and aspirations
The core team travelled to Geneva where we ran an intensive one day workshop. During this session with all the major client stakeholders, we explored their aspirations and inspirations at a brand level, the values that would shape and guide their business and the behaviours they wanted to put in place to have a disruptive but positive impact on their chosen sector. Taking all these considerations into account we also did some initial naming and visual identity exploration.
Progression 1: Naming and positioning
Progression 2: Building a brand strategy
Progression 3: Discovering a voice
Progression 4: Delivering brand guidelines
Dynamic growth
On a trajectory of growth, Alpian has secured FINMA status, been noted as a start-up to watch in 2021, and secured Series B funding.
$11.5m - In 2020, Alpian's FINMA application to operate as a FinTech was successful and they subsequently undertook a €11.5M Series A funding round
Start-up - Alpian have been listed as one of 10 'Swiss Start-ups to Watch in 2021'
$18m - In April 2021 Alpian announced it had secured $18M of Series B funding to launch the bank in the Swiss market