When we started out the firm in 2006 we engaged a brand agency “to design our logo”. At the time, the concept of brand was of little relevance to us as a Corporate Service Provider.
In 2022 our brief was more than a “brand refresh”. Over the years, Credence had progressed steadily from a CSP to a fully-fledged Management Consultancy Firm, offering our clients services which go beyond the corporate and accounting remit.
This was when we approached Switch to guide us as we transformed the way we think about ourselves. Starting with an introspective process, we worked through the fundamentals of the firm. A purpose-driven organisation is one that prevails through thick and thin. But purpose needs to extend beyond the boardroom. It must be the driving force of a shared identity so that every member of the team knows what it is that inspires their efforts.
To do this, we began by going through the process that allowed us to articulate and then codify the shared purpose of Credence and to determine the brand’s behavioural principles or values. Working with external consultants is essential here. While we are individually aware of what drives us, the notion of a shared identity is best explored within the framework of a value-neutral team of experts who can guide the diverse personalities around our board table and seek common ground.
With the fundamentals locked down, we proceeded with visual identity and tone of voice, making sure that the way Credence presents itself externally is a reflection of the brand’s personality. The new Credence visual identity is now a closer expression of the brand’s personality and our updated tone of voice is a better expression of our ethos.
But our brand work doesn’t stop at the way we communicate. The concept is now so ingrained as a result of the process that there is nothing we do today which does not keep the brand values as our guiding light – the service we offer to clients, our management style, and, crucially, what we seek at recruitment phase. We find that the team members who share our values and are driven by the same purpose tend to stick around and do their best work, building relationships with clients that are based on solid fundamentals. If this were the only result of the endeavour, it would already have paid off in spades.
Where do we go from here? Our organisation is one that lives and breathes and evolves. While our fundamentals are set in stone, so to speak, the landscape within which we operate shifts beneath our feet, requiring us to be agile and nimble. Driven by our newly articulated purpose and guided by our values, we make sure that products and services we offer are informed by who we are and tuned to the multitude of emerging realities of the market.
This allows us to rely on our experience as we fine-tune our expertise, delivering sustainable growth to our clients’ business. After all, the hallmark of every successful brand is its ability to forge long-term, value-based relationships and we’re glad we turned to our foundations as a springboard for a stronger future.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Adrian Muscat Azzopardi is a Managing Director at Credence.
You can get in touch with Adrian via email, or through his LinkedIn page.