Credit Suisse CSX

Based on the brand strategy Hotz Brand Consultants developed for Credit Suisse, the Brand Experience Team set out to envision a new product brand identity for CSX that reflected its position in the market and relationship to Credit Suisse.

The task was to find a design language that was logically derived from the design language of Credit Suisse and yet had a high degree of independence to distinguish CSX as a defined entity. A brand design had to be developed that appeals to the relevant Credit Suisse target groups but also needed to speak to certain new audiences targeted by CSX. Furthermore, the brand design needed to be equally convincing on digital and physical touchpoints.

The Brand Experience Team used the CSX brand personality as a foundation. Before the design of key physical and digital touchpoints began, the movement behaviour and key user interaction principles were defined alongside the sub-brand design system and logo.

With CSX, Credit Suisse is ushering in a new era not limited to the area of product development. The team also boldly broke new ground in the development of independent sub-brand experiences. This meant the Hotz Brand Consultants' Brand Experience Team was able to develop the product brand identity in close and iterative collaboration with the developers as ‘open-heart surgery’, so to speak.

Within a very short time, numerous variants and alternatives could be created, tested, and coordinated. This method of working meant multiple opportunities and alterations could be considered in a short space of time, allowing the team to land on the ideal final result. Thus achieving a result that is not only visually convincing but also highly functional.

Extensive collaboration with the developers and testing of potential pathways allowed the Brand Experience Team to identify the strongest and most effective solution to bring to launch. This level of analysis gave us and all internal stakeholders the confidence in driving forward the very best iteration of the brand experience. This also allowed for the implementation-oriented development of an adaptive sub-brand design system.

The Brand Experience Team were successful in building on existing Credit Suisse characteristics and re-interpreting them in a new context, one that holds true to the essence of the central Credit Suisse brand, but distinctively characterises the personality and values of CSX.