ESMA's branding journey: a strategic and impactful approach
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) recently underwent a branding overhaul, entrusting the mission to revitalise its image to the innovative agency, #Pageinextremis. This was no small feat, as ESMA is a highly respected institution that plays a crucial role in ensuring the stability and integrity of the EU's financial markets. But #Pageinextremis was up for the challenge.
Working closely with the ESMA Communication team, they developed a visual identity that fully encapsulates the institution's strategy for 2023-2028, focusing on sustainability, technology, and data innovation. The new logo and visual identity is a bold and modern design that represents the dynamic nature of the financial markets, reflecting the institution's professionalism and authority.
With the new visual identity, ESMA aims to better connect with its stakeholders. This unique design is a testament to that commitment. It is a significant step forward in modernising the financial industry and better connecting with stakeholders. The institution's mission is to ensure the stability and integrity of the EU's financial markets, and this new design reflects that mission.
Overall, the new visual identity is a powerful and impactful representation of ESMA's mission and values, sure to captivate its audience. The hard work and dedication of the team behind this project —Solveig Kleiveland, Sarah Vandenbergh-Edwards, Emilie Brakha, Greta Di Pierri, Iris Hude, Dan Nacu-Manole and David Cliffe— have paid off, resulting in a visual identity that truly represents the institution.
At #pageinextremis, we understand the power of a strong brand. With 28 years of branding experience under our belt, we have developed a unique methodology for a successful branding process that will take your brand to new heights.
Our process begins with the Clarify phase, where we align the organisational effort with the brand strategy. By starting from the overarching strategy and distilling it to the level of the brand strategy, we ensure that everyone is on the same page. We also change perspective and put ourselves in the shoes of the audience, partners, analysts, competitors, and potential future employees. This allows us to see things from different angles and develop a brand strategy that resonates with everyone.
In the Define phase, we clearly define the audience segments, key messages targeted to each of them, brand architecture, brand positioning, and value proposition. This ensures that your brand speaks the correct language to the right people.
The Personalisation phase is where we create a visual identity that reflects the brand's essence and personality and differentiates it from the competition. We want your brand to stand out and be easily recognisable. We achieve that by creating a visual identity that is unique and memorable.
Once the visual identity is established, we move on to the Implement phase, where we roll out the new brand across all communication channels, including websites, social media, marketing materials, and signage. This ensures that your brand is consistent and cohesive across all touchpoints.
Finally, we come to the Measure phase, where we monitor the effectiveness of the new brand and make adjustments as needed. We continuously evaluate the brand's impact on the organisation's reputation and bottom line to ensure we achieve our goals.
It's important to remember that a simple cosmetic and aesthetic approach is to be avoided as it would hardly have any impact, even in the short term. At #pageinextremis, we don't believe in shortcuts.