What we did
Market Research
Logo Refresh
Messaging
Design Assets
Iconography
VIVA FIRST | Background
A new banking app for the Hispanic community had been in development for months. But, it lacked a message and story. With only a couple months away from launch, we were asked with refreshing its current logo, elaborating on its visual identity and composing messaging that would appeal to the unique banking challenges that Hispanics face in the United States
Representing Everyone
We saw an opportunity to take the original design further. The challenge was to ensure the word mark represented all Hispanics with heritage throughout the entirety of Central America.
We turned toward Central American origins and steered the logo toward the ancestral style of the early Aztecs.
The refreshed design led to bright gradients, patterns and embellishments that were applied to the debit card.
The entire Hispanic community is incredibly proud of their heritage, so the design was intended to stand out and make a statement, apart from most debit cards.
A Design To Be Proud Of
Getting The Whole Picture
A round of personal interviews was conducted with Hispanic Americans who gave vivid accounts of what first and second generation Hispanic Americans face when managing their funds and seeking banking services.
“Banks don’t typically speak Spanish.”
“It’s frustrating to walk into a bank, approach the counter and discover that no one speaks your language. They want to help us, but they’re unable to. They feel embarrassed and we feel embarrassed. And when we don’t have the proper credentials to even open an account, the thought of walking into a bank again is an uncomfortable feeling.”
”We have to rely upon hacks, workarounds and unnecessary steps to manage our money.”
”Many of us are limited to only cash.”
“Since we don’t have a bank account, when we are paid in tips we’re stuck managing handfuls of bills. And when we are paid with a check, opportunistic companies charge enormous fees for us to simply cash it. Our cash is not secured nor insured by a bank, so if there’s a fire or a theft all of our hard work is gone forever.”
”Managing money is full of frustration, anxiety and vulnerability”.
A Message of Liberation
We composed key messaging, including a one-liner intro, value propositions and an entire brand narrative that empathizes with their struggles and makes a simple introduction to Viva First.
