Market context

Scope: Research & insight > positioning, strategy & TOV > brand system, brand guidelines > collateral, website. 
Sector: Investment API platform / Fintech

Fintech APIs* are revolutionising the investments industry, taking them to the next level with their ability to unite multiple technologies into a single system. Fintech Upvest is changing the investment market with its investment API which allows its clients to build any investment experience for their business.
 
Founded in 2017 by Martin Kassing, Upvest empowers its B2B finance clients with its investment API, which can be easily connected to existing systems enabling businesses to build great investment experiences for their clients – seamless, secure and across international borders. 
 
The long-term goal of Upvest is to become the technological backbone for all B2B companies that want to provide their customers with a full range of investment services, from ETFs and stocks to crypto-assets and brokerage services.

*An API (Application Programming Interface) is a digital resource that allows an application or website to interact with information on a server. APIs are used extensively in providing data services across a range of fields and contexts.

Challenge

Upvest operates in a highly competitive market with a compelling product that is truly disruptive. Using a more inclusive investment API approach, encompassing both traditional securities and crypto, Upvest needed to elevate its brand with a new and distinctive corporate identity to reflect its unique positioning. The brief also included a website which is an important information hub for the company.

One API. Any investment experience.

We needed to devise an ownable, differentiated positioning that can be translated into a compelling visual expression of the brand.

Working with the concept of disrupting and democratising the investment category. A strong proposition was leveraged from the strategic insights – ‘One API. Any investment experience’. A statement that best reflects the business's offer and distinguishes it from its competitors. 

This is supported by a succinct and clear TOV and messaging strategy, avoiding industry jargon to ensure clients understand how the investment API will benefit their business.

Colour was an important part of the creative journey. The colour palette has a defined usage hierarchy, with key colours used purposefully across all comms. Key to the creative are the graphic assets inspired by the Upvest universe.

Structure created a graphic (transparent circle) to depict the Upvest universe –  a visual metaphor that represents the idea of a complete solution with endless possibilities. The transparency reflects Upvest’s clear and transparent approach to business. It is used throughout the comms in different ways.
 

The circle was abstracted to create four icons that act as product identifiers – savings plan, portfolio, roundup and fractional – each with its own colour assignment. Structure also developed an icons portfolio for other applications throughout the comms to help with navigation. Imagery and video play an important part in the new website content, introducing the product functionality and also the Upvesters (team members) who bring the product portfolio to life

 We wanted to create a brand identity, which would correspond to our ambitions - making investing as easy as spending money while empowering millions to take their wealth into their own hands. Structure supported us with the creation of a new strategic positioning along with the new brand identity. This empowers us on our future endeavours to become the technological backbone for European companies that provide their customers with access to the capital market based on the Upvest Investment API. 

Olga Knyazkova, Upvest

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