as PDF

A CASE STUDY
o f ADVANTIS CREDIT UNION
DESIGNING FOR
INCLUSIVENESS
BUILDING A
BANKING BRAND
T H AT M A K E S M E M B E R S
F E E L AT H O M E
Advantis Credit Union, a Portland-based credit union, engaged Adrenaline
to help refine its positioning, refresh its visual brand identity, and reimagine
its market strategy. Matching the brand with two new taglines, updated
messaging hierarchy, ownable brand imagery, and an environmental Kit of
Parts, Adrenaline helped to transform the banking experience into one they
could truly love and rely on.
A CASE STUDY
o f ADVANTIS CREDIT UNION
BIG IDEA
Advantis Credit Union is a Portland-based credit union serving the local community for over 85 years. Known for its
localized approach to banking, Advantis has helped generations of neighbors obtain loans, finance homes and vehicles,
and save for the future.
Advantis engaged Adrenaline to refresh their existing brand, including a redefined brand positioning, tagline, brand look
& feel, and translation to a new branch environment.
PROCESS
Following a discovery session with Advantis’ key stakeholders and an analysis of the client’s recently commissioned
consumer research, the overarching task became to elevate the brand’s value up the brand food chain. The “brand food
chain” is a hierarchy of needs used to communicate how consumers fall in love with and become loyal to brands, from
features to benefits to a greater brand experience.
Advantis had achieved membership success through a core checking product with high interest, the brand reputation had
to stand for something more meaningful than a product feature. Capitalizing on the credit union’s relentless approach
to member-serving, Adrenaline developed a new brand positioning of “Passionate Advocates.” To communicate that
new positioning externally, we created the taglines “With us, you can” and “Passionate advocates.” The new brand
position and tagline anchored the entire brand refresh, reflecting Advantis’ passion for accessibility, local activism,
entrepreneurship, and its signature “we’re all in this together” culture.
ADRENALINE
p2
A CASE STUDY
o f ADVANTIS CREDIT UNION
WE ESTABLISHED A LOOK AND FEEL
THAT WAS AUTHENTIC TO PORTLAND:
LOVING LIFE AND BEING PASSIONATE
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE.
- Laura Harvey, Art Director
EXECUTION
With newly realized messaging and positioning, Adrenaline ushered Advantis to its next stage in the brand refresh: brand
design features, guidelines, content, and an environmental Kit of Parts created for a new branch location, but designed
to scale across their entire network of branches.
Adrenaline’s design team began working on a series of visual design deliverables, including new brand standards,
communication guidelines, brand texture graphics, environmental graphic communications, and branded signage. Even
more, Adrenaline’s culture team created guides for Advantis to launch their brand internally via workbooks for both
participants and facilitators. A branded video splash was also created for Advantis, specifically for use in its GROW
Advantis Community Fund.
One of Advantis’ unique challenges included finding an ownable and subtle pattern that could be employed consistently
across its social, environmental, digital, and tactile pieces, with variations in size and opacity based on where it’s being
used. The result was what we call brand texture: geometric patterns in a natural palette of green and blue that matched
Advantis’ outdoorsy, adventurous and authentic Portland personality.
ADRENALINE
p3
A CASE STUDY
o f ADVANTIS CREDIT UNION
WE FOCUSED ON INCLUSIVENESS,
WHILE ALSO EMPHASIZING THE
BENEFIT OF WHAT THE CUSTOMER
CAN ACCOMPLISH BY BANKING WITH
ADVANTIS. “WITH US, YOU CAN” WAS
A NICE COMBINATION OF THAT.
- Laura Harvey, Art Director
CONCLUSION
Advantis is a credit union that understands and heralds the unique relationship between their employees and their
members. With a unique opportunity to reposition themselves in the local market to exemplify the value of “passionate
advocates,” Advantis seized the moment and successfully refreshed its brand identity.
By applying the concept of a “brand food chain” and customer hierarchy of needs, Adrenaline helped Advantis prepare
to lead current and future customers away from everyday banking commodities and towards experiences they could
truly love – as a friend, a neighbor, and a member.
LEARN MORE AT ADRENALINESHOT.COM
ADRENALINE
p4
A CASE STUDY
o f ADVANTIS
CREDIT
UNION
MAX CREDIT
UNION
ADRENALINE
p5