Rebranding for a Fintech Startup

The company was launching a PayPal-like payment tool for brands, agencies, and influencers. Despite having a solid product idea, the inconsistent brand identity made every ad and social post look like a scam, actively damaging trust with potential clients in an industry where credibility is everything.

I identified this issue within my first two months as Junior UX/UI Designer and convinced the partners to explore rebranding options, despite initial resistance.

Initial approach: Led a team of 2 design interns to develop 3 rebranding concepts after researching fintech competitors.

Pivot: First proposals were rejected as "too bold," but the presentation convinced partners the current identity was hurting business. Given one week to create a new proposal maintaining some existing elements while solving credibility issues.

Result: Final proposal was approved and praised by the initially skeptical partners.

Timeline: ~2 months from pitch to approval, plus several months for implementation.

Complete visual overhaul:

• Logo: Scalable, flat-color design with horizontal, vertical, square, and circular versions.
• Color palette: Web-safe colors with defined usage percentages, reduced scattered usage to structured system.
• Typography: Standardized from 6-7 inconsistent fonts to 2 typefaces.
• Asset library: Icon and image libraries for consistent marketing.

Impact:

• Approved by initially resistant partners who later congratulated the team.
• Positive external feedback from clients and industry.
• Notable improvement in social media and website reputation.
• Established visual credibility appropriate for fintech.

Strategic advocacy: Built the business case for rebranding and convinced skeptical stakeholders through narrative-driven presentations.

Team leadership: Directed two design interns throughout the process.

End-to-end execution: Led research, concept development, iteration, and final design Implementation: Created brand guidelines and asset library for company-wide rollout.

Implementation: Created brand guidelines and asset library for company-wide rollout.

About stakeholder management:

• Compelling storytelling gets buy-in where good ideas alone don't.
• Aim higher than expected acceptance—feedback brings you down.

About the process:

• I over-polished early sketches fearing dismissal. I'd now trust the iterative process more.

About myself:

• I identify problems others overlook and advocate for change despite resistance.
• Rejection stings but I consistently bounce back with stronger ideas.
• I'm capable of leadership and persuasive communication when prepared.