methodbranding.com

PPI

T h e b r a n d i s g r e a t e r t h a n t h e s u m o f i t s p a r t s

Capabilities applied

Brand audit

Brand strategy

Brand architecture

Brand naming

Brand identity design

Brand implementation

Brand identity standards

Launch date

2011

Sectors

Insurance

Financial services

A project by Method Branding/ q30 design inc.

The situation

Two of Canada’s leading managing general agencies (MGAs) –

PPI Financial Group (with principal offices in Vancouver, Toronto

and Calgary) and Financial Management Group (FM) (based in

Calgary, with offices across Canada) – were entering a strategic

alliance, with PPI taking an equity position in FM. PPI was

Canada’s pre-eminent insurance distributor supporting advisors

working in the high net-worth market while FM focused on the

mid-market insurance business.

How these two brands should be related needed to be resolved

quickly, in time for the impending public announcement of the

alliance. We were retained to develop a brand architecture for PPI

and FM, as well as create brand names, brand identities and all

branded assets for both print and online communications.

Actions

Working with senior management at PPI and FM, we developed

a positioning and brand strategy for the merged firm and for each

operating brand. The brand architecture strategy and brand

names were developed over an aggressive one month time frame.

With these essential brand elements in place and with an

approved creative brief, we developed a brand identity system

that included a parent brand, and segment brands for

PPI Financial Group (renamed PPI Advisory) and Financial

Management (renamed PPI Solutions). PPI Advisory represented

the existing high net-worth segment and PPI Solutions described

the more transactional activity of the mid-market

business segment.

The brand for PPI Solutions was the first out of the gate in

June 2010, with a comprehensive stationery package, PowerPoint

template, promotional brochure and fact sheets, banners for

launch, web site and promotional items. New proprietary software

tools and products were brought to market and the software

was branded to integrate into the overall PPI Solutions brand

experience. PPI and PPI Advisory were launched in the fall of

2010, each with their own support materials. Full page ads

were designed and placed in a number of trade publications.

The brand identity system was designed to balance the need

to create a strong PPI brand, while differentiating their brand

segments. We produced detailed (60+ pages) brand standards

for each PPI brand, which were introduced during brand

workshops held across Canada.

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Results

Both internal and external stakeholders embraced the new

brands. Some legacy brand names from Financial Management

brand were initially deemed to have so much equity that the

brand identity system was created with these names included.

Six months following the brand launch, PPI Solutions decided that

the response to the new brand identity was so positive that all

legacy FM brand names were soon retired. Not only has there been

no loss of brand equity with the migration to the new brands,

financial results for this privately held company have significantly

improved. PPI is now poised for continued growth and success.

The PPI logo was also awarded a Gold Award from Graphis Logo

Design 8, one of the world’s most prestigious design publications.