Canadian ICMIF member The Co-operators Group has this week unveiled its dynamic new brand identity via a national advertising, social, public relations and retail activation campaign with the aim of signalling change and in order to promote its personalised investment advice and services. Created in partnership with Huge, the new identity reflects a complete brand transformation shifting Co-operators from a traditional and insurance-only brand to a personalised, forward-thinking, holistic financial services brand.
“Co-operators’ rebrand is about future growth and opportunity – for every Canadian and for our company,” said Cindy Wong, Head of Marketing and Communications, Co-operators. “We’ve heard from people in our communities that they are feeling unsupported when it comes to building their financial strength and security; they feel like they’re playing catch-up. We’re excited to introduce our new brand identity that boldly signals our shift beyond insurance to holistic financial services and our commitment to providing unparalleled personalisation for Canadians.”
Having had the same brand identify for nearly 44 years, it was important to ensure that Co-operators’ heritage was still front and centre while introducing its new forward-thinking approach to holistic financial services. Born from the long-term thinking of its founders that still holds true to this day, “An acorn that will grow into one of the greatest oak trees of the Co-operative movement,” Co-operators’ new brand respects the company’s past while building the brand for the future.
The new logo is a modern interpretation of an oak leaf, combined with the directionality of an arrow and comprised of three elements harmoniously moving forward together. The organic aspects of the leaf reflect Co-operators’ humanity and its roots, while the arrow communicates its future-forward vision.
“The movement and momentum in the logo reflect Co-operators’ commitment to supporting Canadians as they help them grow their financial future. As well, the natural and historic quality of the oak leaf is a nod to their past and what makes the brand different and stands out from others in financial services,” explains Allen Oke, Executive Creative Director, Huge.
To launch the new brand identity, Co-operators is embarking on a national multi-tiered campaign including robust out of home components that highlight Co-operators’ personalised and advice-based approach to financial services.
“To launch the new brand identity, we needed a campaign that wouldn’t just tell Canadians Co-operators understands them, but shows what truly personalised service and advice means,” adds Oke.
Part of the campaign includes “The <Your Name Here> creative video which shares slices of life moments depicting different Co-operators clients and their tailored investment plans.
Fifteen-second versions of the English and French creative launched this week on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and LinkedIn, with :30 and :15 versions appearing on television, programmatic video and YouTube. In addition, radio traffic tags, content creation and paid amplification with influencers, and headline driven out-of-home creative including posters, transit shelter ads, rink boards and digital screens complete the range of advertising channels.
To build trust for the new brand, the strategic public relations programme is founded on Co-operators’ unparalleled personalisation and targets core consumer audiences via a niched media strategy which shares the results of a new cross-Canada survey. The Omnibus poll, entitled “Money Mindset Imprints,” conducted on the online Angus Reid Forum Panel, was designed to explore Canadians’ perceptions on their emotional relationship with money, based on how their parents and grandparents managed money and their lived experiences. Third party experts share how unique money memories affect an individual’s financial outlook, thus requiring unique tailored plans.
The new retail signage has been deployed across Co-operators’ locations from 20 September 2021 onwards. The launch campaign kicks-off across Canada on 4 October 2021 and will be in market until the end of the year with Epitaph Group responsible for media planning and buying.
