Integrated Financial Technologies Brand Strategy & Logo Design

Posted on January 21st, 2008 in Case Studies

Logo & Brand Strategy design for Integrated Financial Technologies, a Financial and Tax Services company for small businesses.

The Problem

Integrated Financial Technologies was having a hard time breaking out of just doing people’s taxes for a living. It seemed that they were rebels without a brand.

The Solution

It seemed that if Integrated Financial Technologies wanted to reach an entirely new audience needed a new look to go with their new business plan.

Your logo is the first impression that people have of your company, it needs to effectively communicate the essence of your business upon first glance.

— Mike Sinkula, Premium Design Works

Premium Design Works saw a chance to create a strong typographic icon to go with the growing business. The icon needed to be clever without being arrogant and over powering… much like Dave Coffey, President of Integrated Financial Technologies.

The Process

Logo design is an intricate art form using typography, color and iconography to communicate the essence of your business in one simple visual statement. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that there is a methodology behind the process.

Idea Sketches

When an idea or two strikes it is much easier for me grab the pencil and start sketching out my rough ideas on paper.

It’s no surprise that the process starts out with an idea. What is a surprise to most people is that my ideas still get hashed out with the good ol’ pencil and paper. I had several ideas for the Integrated Financial Technologies logo and started sketching right away.

Integrated Financial Technologies Logo Idea Sketches

I have also found that if I try to sketch out my ideas on the computer, I will get bogged down with the software application and lose my inspiration rather quickly. This way I can get my rough ideas out quickly and all on the same sheet of paper. I can then decide which ideas are worth pursuing.

Logotype Studies

Once I have my basic conceptual ideas down, I can then start the logotype studies. The choice of typeface and the treatment of it is just as important if not more so than the overall concept.

From the idea sketches to the logotype studies, I found that the idea of trying to integrate the “I” and the “F” was an extremely strong idea. I felt that it was truly what the company needed to represent itself as a professional, yet creative, financial service. Since the Client wanted a mark that made a strong icon next to the type, I then found myself trying this monogram in various formats.

Integrated Financial Technologies Logotype Studies

I will then post these logotype studies on my website to present. This is what I will finally show to the Client so they can make a decision on which way they want to go.

Brand Production & Presentation

A business card is an integral part of any good marketing plan. For its size and cost, it’s probably the most powerful promotional tool any professional can have. Therefore it is typically the starting point to extending a company’s brand.

A business card can also make or break a client’s first impression of your company. In fact, this little card makes as much of an impression as your personal appearance. Therefore, a business card should be a very simple extension of your brand.

Integrated Financial Technologies Business Card

Since this little card is an extension of your brand, it should adhere to “supporting typography” standards. It should also serve the purpose of allowing people to visit your website and contact you.

Premium Design Works did a great job in taking my business concept and putting it into a design and logo presence that visually communicated what my business model is about. Given that I provide a service that deals in intangibles, the work that Premium Design Works did for me was especially impressive.

— Dave Coffey, President of Integrated Financial Technologies, Inc.

See Also: Creating a Business Card | WEB112 | Premium Design Works

Done right, this simple tool is one of your most powerful weapons in the game of branding.