IDFC Bank gets a makeover from Alok Nanda & Company

The contemporary word mark and identity reflects simplicity and diversity, to appeal to both rural and urban consumers.

Alok Nanda & Company (ANC), a brand and communications agency, has created a new logo and visual identity for IDFC Bank. The new identity, based on three components, was unveiled on September 25.

The first task was to make the institutional brand relatable. The design solution had to work for urban and rural India without compromising its appeal to either. The identity created by ANC works well as a vibrant, approachable signage in rural India and looks equally cool on the backlit screen of a smartphone.

The second issue for ANC was to differentiate IDFC Bank from the crowd of banks that already exist. The new logo does not have a separate symbol; the logo is the symbol. The palette is bright, warm and 'un-bank-like', with violet, yellow, pink and orange colours that symbolise transformation, energy, youth and optimism - qualities of modern India.

Lastly, the identity had to be 'future proof'. It had to work for not just how banking is today, but how it will be tomorrow. The new identity is designed to appeal to a new generation of consumers who are growing up online.

"It's a rare privilege to work with an institution like IDFC, one of only two new entrants in the banking sector after a decade. We worked closely with the core management team to evolve the positioning for the brand and the identity. The brand identity is unconventional, in keeping with IDFC's approach to banking," says Alok Nanda, expressing his views on the new creation.

Dr. Rajiv Lall, executive vice chairman and managing director, IDFC Bank, adds, "A brand isn't just advertising or a message that we promote. It has to be a philosophy we believe in every day, to ensure our customers experience it in what we say and do. We were keen on a logo that captures the vibrant colours of our nation. Our new logo reflects this diversity and is symbolic of the upcoming colours of change in banking to meet the rapidly changing expectations of consumers."

Alok Nanda and Company (ANC) claims to be India's only brand and communications consultancy focussed in the lifestyle and luxury space. Set up in 1999, by Nanda, ANC works with clients in the rapidly growing premium space, often helping them achieve a shift in business thinking or launching new product categories.