Forward-thinking Citadel Credit Union finds greater resonance and relevance for their new brand in the midst of our challenging COVID times
Thursday, August 20, 2020 – Citadel Credit Union has unveiled its updated brand with a new logo, colors and a tagline that speaks to the power of community. One of the nation’s top-60 largest credit unions with more than $4 billion in assets, Citadel Credit Union introduced its new brand identity on Wednesday — complete with a redesigned logo, refreshed color palette, and new tagline, “Building Strength Together.”
Although admittedly, not every financial institution has the courage to take on a rebrand and launch during a global pandemic, it’s to Citadel’s credit that they embraced our current moment as an opportunity to mean more – to their staff, members and the larger community. Taking to heart the counsel to “shift not silence,” Citadel’s new brand is the result of work that was being done prior to the pandemic, but found a new relevance and resonance now.
Jeff March, president and CEO of Citadel speaks to how the rebrand positioned Citadel to lean in on their credit union roots. He says, “With our new brand, Citadel is embracing our identity as a not-for-profit credit union with a dedication to the local community. We’re proud to reveal all that we stand for, and we’re dedicated to enhancing our members’ experience with new tools, expert guidance, and a breadth of financial services.”
To support the credit union’s rebranding efforts, Citadel’s in-house Brand Team partnered with Adrenaline, based on our specialty in financial services for end-to-end implementation – from brand through to branch. For the last 18 months, the two companies teamed up to conduct extensive research across multiple audiences and markets, ultimately strategizing and designing Citadel’s new brand identity.
The new logo represents a modern Citadel — a source of enduring strength and forward momentum. The logo is named the “Dynamic C” as it stands for Citadel, Credit Union, and Community, and is meant to invite people in, while giving the feeling of embracing and protecting a shared future. Further, the shape of the logo is built on a hexagon, one of nature’s most stable geometric forms, rooting the brand in a foundation of strength and trust. The new tagline, Building Strength Together, gives voice to the balance of stability and progress that Citadel stands for, promising that together, anything is possible.
Adrenaline’s Chief Experience Officer Gina Bleedorn believes the timing of the launch reflects the strength of the brand. She says, “We were so gratified Citadel chose to reveal their updated brand during this time. It really speaks to the work we did together and how forward-thinking an organization they are that they understand the importance of brand and what it means for their business and the people they serve. Ultimately, we only helped craft and clarify what was already there.”
Over the past 15 years, Citadel has grown over $3.5 billion in assets and evolved to serve a broader region across the Greater Philadelphia area, including expansion in new markets such as Lancaster and Bucks counties. This is Citadel’s first rebrand in 15 years, since its most significant growth period in the company’s over 80-year history.
A case study on the Citadel rebrand will be launched on Adrenaline’s site in September.
To speak with one of Adrenaline’s experience design or branding experts, contact us at [email protected].
Adrenaline is an experience design agency that creates and implements end-to-end branded experiences through creative and environmental design. We enhance our clients’ customer experiences across digital and physical channels, from their branding and advertising to design and technology in their spaces. After transforming an organization’s brand, Adrenaline extends it across all touchpoints — from employees to the market to in-store environments. And, we focus on serving industries that sell human experiences including financial, healthcare, sports and entertainment.
