Purple is everywhere in fintech. This bank rebranded but kept the color
Launching a bank in the U.S. involves layers of super complex compliance, legal requirements, and auditing. For Nubank, a Brazilian-based digital bank that launched in the U.S. last month under the name Nu, the branding was actually the hardest part. Building a customer support team or launching a platform for credit cards “are clear, more objective things that we need to do,” cofounder Cristina…
Rebranding a bank in the United States is a complex endeavor rife with compliance, legalities, and rigorous auditing. For Nubank, a digital bank established in Brazil in 2013, the most daunting challenge was rebranding. Co-founder Cristina Junqueira explains that while customer support and credit card platforms are straightforward, "the brand is, in my opinion, the hardest thing that we need to do because there's no playbook."
Nubank's customer base expanded to over 140 million across Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, becoming the largest digital bank in Latin America. A major rebrand occurred in 2021, when the bank introduced a purple hue to its logo. However, this color soon felt ubiquitous within the fintech industry, as noted by Arthur Foliard, a NYC executive creative director from Koto, the agency responsible for the new visual identity. He remarks, "Purple is everywhere in fintech."
Rather than abandon the iconic purple, Nubank decided to refine it, introducing a fresh secondary color palette that complements the original. To stand out further, the bank revamped other brand components. A new typeface, Nu Sans, was crafted to be approachable and versatile, functioning effectively in large or small formats, such as app interfaces.
Illustrations were also updated, adopting a cheerful and optimistic aesthetic, exemplified by a figure walking along a path featured on the bank’s welcome kit. The kit itself is a premium offering, complete with magnetic closure and decorative stickers. Motion graphics have been designed with a playful, dynamic quality to convey vitality and positivity.
Nubank's approach to rebranding was intentionally global, avoiding any Americanization. The bank's primary focus remains on its product and customer support, recognizing that "no good marketing can repair a subpar product." Co-founder Junqueira emphasizes that the brand should embody the company’s internal culture, with customer fanaticism being the top value. With the rebrand, Nubank aims to foster customer loyalty and admiration.
Written by urgent.news from Fast Company's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
