The challenge

AAB, an established financial services group offering accountancy, wealth management and HR services, was experiencing a two-year growth period. This brought the challenge of integrating businesses, services and brand identities together.

The objective

The main objective was to simplify AAB’s messaging to reflect a coherent brand identity that resonated with clients and prospects. This meant creating and implementing a clear, consistent set of messages that aligned with the group's mission and vision, thereby reinforcing the firm's position as a leader in professional services.

The solution

The approach to addressing AAB’s challenge was multifaceted:

• Comprehensive review:
  • I began by conducting an extensive review of all existing marketing materials, client-facing documents, and internal communications. This enabled me to identify inconsistencies, gaps, and strengths, and set the stage for the workshop that followed.
• Alignment workshop:
  • Key stakeholders were invited to a workshop designed to delve deep into the group’s brand identity.
  • Through a series of structured exercises, I uncovered a series of unique but hidden messages that clarified the group's difference. I used these to establish a unified understanding of its core mission, vision and brand personality.
• Messaging strategy:
  • Using the output from the workshop, I developed a messaging framework that distilled the essence of AAB’s brand into clear and consistent communication that applied to each individual service line, as well as the business as a whole. This provided a shared vision and language that empowered everyone to feel confident in communicating with their end clients.
  • This strategy was designed to be flexible enough to accommodate future growth and changes.
• Implementation:
  • I also crafted new copy for the About page of the group’s website, encapsulating the refined brand messaging. By refreshing this key component of their online presence, I ensured a consistent and cohesive brand experience for everyone interacting with the company.

The results

The implementation of the unified messaging strategy is currently in the early stages of roll out, but has already moved AAB's position to reflect where they are as a group now. The new, cohesive framework not only addressed immediate needs, but also established a solid foundation for AAB’s ongoing growth and market leadership.