Affinity Holdings, our parent company, is an international marketing, technology and consulting group. The group is on a mission to provide a more agile, supportive and innovation-friendly alternative to typical holding companies. We worked with the Group to develop a brand that reflected this new approach—a brand that balanced a corporate aesthetic with a warmer, more ‘human’ touch.
Deliverables
Brand strategy / Brand identity / Web and app design / Corporate comms / Event presence / Office design
The challenge
Affinity Holdings was looking to create a community of highly networked, exciting businesses that work together to drive innovation, efficiency and growth. Its vision was to look beyond short-term financial gains and reimagine the role of a holding company. The founders wanted to build something different—a place where talented entrepreneurs feel supported and have plenty of opportunities to connect with and learn from their peers. The brief was to create a fresh, contemporary brand that would support this mission.
Our solution
From the outset, we wanted to avoid the conservative, corporate aesthetic of most marketing, technology and consultancy groups. The new brand needed to reflect the Group’s alternative positioning. Through research, we also gained insights into the entrepreneurs and investors Affinity wanted to appeal to, including their views on branding and holding groups.
Armed with these insights, we went on to develop a brand strategy that centred around the commercial power of connection (between people as well as businesses) and the idea of providing a supportive, collaborative home for talented entrepreneurs.
In a nod to the energy and tenacity of entrepreneurs, we developed a strong colour palette led by a vibrant blue and supported by five other contrasting yet complementary colours. To add a softer, more human touch we paired this with a pastel secondary palette and a suite of people-focussed imagery. Brother 1816, a sans serif font family, added a modern, refined feel and a customised version of this was used for the logo. Overall, the aim was to create a brand that was fresh and engaging, as well as commercially respected.
Following the launch of the new brand, we’re now working with the Group to develop a new website, flexible event presence and ongoing communications aimed at investors, employees and entrepreneurs. We’re also applying the new brand to their offices in Kings Cross, London.
