Context
Founded in 1983, Investortools provides fixed-income investment management software to over 200 firms managing more than $1 trillion in assets. Despite the scale of what they serve, the brand hadn't kept pace. Three designers, myself included, each developed a distinct direction as part of an initial branding phase to kick off a broader web redesign.
Role & Contribution
Role
Designer
Contribution
Visual Design
I created a brand identity concept covering logo, color, typography, photography direction, and web implementation.
Problem & Opportunity
Outdated visual identity.
A dated brand identity made Investortools look like legacy software in a market where modern competitors were closing in. The opportunity was to demonstrate where the company was going without abandoning the trust it had built over 40 years.
My Direction
Three designers each brought a distinct perspective to the brief. My concept aimed for enterprise-grade credibility, conservative enough to hold the trust of long-standing clients while still feeling forward-thinking. Logo, color palette, typography, photography direction, and a web app concept were all developed as part of the pitch.
Logmark.
Built around pie chart imagery with a nod to their original logo. The asymmetry of the old "In" letterforms was mirrored in uneven pie chart slices, breaking the original circle into those slices.
Color.
A darker blue replaced the existing washed-out tone to add sophistication. Yellow and green were introduced as complementary colors representing wealth and growth.
Typography.
Archivo was chosen for its orderly, structured quality as a sans serif that feels timeless without being rigid.
Reflections
My concept was geared toward enterprise credibility and longevity, being a 40-year-old finance software company. Ultimately though, the chosen identity went a more playful direction using a more vibrant balance of colors and shape patterns to convey approachability and openness. While a valid direction, the client simply prioritized youthful energy over institutional weight.