By Precious Oyetayo Subuloye MCIM, rpa, MNIMN

Introduction 

A brand’s personality, characteristics, and values make up its identity. It’s what distinguishes a company from others. For small firms, a strong brand identity may make all the difference in growth and profitability. Any small firm must have a professional brand identity. It can assist you in expanding your side project into a small business and beyond!

How do you define a small business?
It is crucial to understand what constitutes a small business before we go into the methods and procedures for creating a professional brand identity to transform your side project into a small business. Small businesses come in various forms, including corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and sole proprietorships. The most prevalent kind is the sole proprietorship, which is often maintained by one person or a family with no separation of personal and corporate assets. A small business might range from a family-owned restaurant to an internet site that offers handmade jewelry to an accounting firm that specializes in small business tax preparation to a real estate agency.

Designing your small business brand identity has become pretty simple in recent years, unlike when the printing press did not exist and no one considered designing on computers. At the time, you had to rely on word-of-mouth or pay someone to draw/paint on your storefront.

With technological improvements, designing has become a piece of cake, however, this is an exaggeration because options can often be confusing. If you search for “how to brand my small business” online, you will find millions of links that lead to various answers.

The secret to creating an executive-level brand identity for your small firm is to hire a brand designer who can genuinely alter the game for you at this point of development. Once you’ve found a designer for your brand identity, you’ll need to determine what type of company model requires what type of branding. In this situation, when you’re starting a small firm, you’ll need a distinctive logo and a killer website design.

So, what are we waiting for? Nothing more than a voyage to give our tiny business branding a professional appearance!

How To Create A Professional Brand Identity
Before we get started detailing how to create a professional brand identity to turn your side hustle into a small business, it’s necessary to understand what a small business is.

STEP 1: Build Your Brand by Defining yourself
The first step in developing your business identity is to describe yourself. It would help if you had a thorough grasp of your business.

Who are you?
What are your values?
What do you want others to know about you?
What do you want people to remember when they think about your company?
Once you’ve recognized these factors, it’ll be easy to craft a consistent message that matches your values and personality.

STEP 2: Building Your Brand By understanding your audience
The second step in small business branding is to identify your target demographic.

Who is your ideal customer?
What do your prospective customers want?
What does your target audience want?
What are your intended audience’s preferences?
What are their challenges?
In addition to answering these questions, you must understand your target market’s demographics, psychographics, and purchasing behaviors to successfully reach and convince them.

STEP 3: Understand your Market and Competitors
Differentiation is the key to success in brand development. The goal is to ensure that customers choose you above your competitors. You must provide something unique, whether in product, service, or approach, which necessitates a Brand Analysis.
You should never try to replicate what the large companies in your market are doing; instead, you should be aware of what they are doing and understand why.

Examine your primary competitors or brands that stand out in your field, and learn how they built their brand. Exploring the underlying meanings, origins, reinventions, and ethos of these companies will help you shape your own. It is critical to undertake a brand analysis and compare it to your rivals.

Comprehensive market research allows us to focus even more on your brand’s unique selling points and target audience. Businesses that lack a thorough understanding of the market and their customers risk making erroneous judgments, which can result in ineffective branding initiatives and missed opportunities.

STEP 4: Creating Brand Identity with Graphic Visuals
The third step is to develop an identity for your small business. This involves designing a professional logo, slogan, color scheme, and website design. Think about the following.

What should my logo look like if I get one made?
Should I incorporate the motto into the design?
What colors will work best for my business?
Should I control the design or allow the designers to perform their magic?
What should be on my website?

STEP 5 Allocate Budget for Brand Identity
The fourth stage is to create a budget for things like branding and marketing to avoid overspending or underspending.

How much should I first invest in branding?
How much of my profit should I allocate to marketing designs each month?
How can I minimize costs while maintaining excellent design quality?
Will taxes impact my brand design budget?

These are just a few of the questions that come to mind when making the big decision to turn your side hustle into a full-fledged small business.

STEP 6 Plan It All Out Before Designing It
Before beginning a brand identity design, ensure that everything is in order. The last thing you want throughout the branding process is to be unsure of yourself, your rivals, or your target audience. It will be easier to produce a creative brief after you have learned as much as possible.

STEP 7 Starting with a winning logo
Logo is crucial for a small business brand to stand out in a crowded market. Whether or not one believes in the power of a logo, it is a necessary component of all branding and marketing materials.

STEP 8: Create a Strong Brand Story
To stand out in today’s competitive market, brands require a compelling brand story that will aid in the development of a unified brand identity. Your small business branding will be dispersed without a story, so attempt to work with expert copywriters or content writers who can provide you with one.

STEP 9: Design a visually appealing website design.
Designing a stunning website is only one element of this process. When creating websites for your businesses, designers must ensure that they are user-friendly, for example, by providing accessible navigation.

STEP 10: Create the main social media accounts.
Being everywhere is foolish. Using data analytics, discover where your target audience surfs and shops. Begin analyzing your audience’s behavioral habits. One thing that will help you see where your competitors are succeeding.
Once this is done, design your small business’s social media accounts. Ideally, use your brand identity as a profile picture, create an eye-catching page banner, and populate your feed with personalized postings about your company and its products.

STEP 11 Begin your marketing efforts.
Once you’ve laid the groundwork for your small business brand, it’s time to add the building bricks to establish brand position, image, and personality. You can accomplish this by promoting the brand through business cards, display ads, marketing design, brochure design, and other branding materials.

STEP 12 Produce a brand book
A brand book is a set of principles for defining and controlling a brand’s identity. Also known as style guides, they contain information on anything from the company’s visual identity and logo design to its goal statement, key values, and even the tone of voice that should be utilized in corporate communications or collateral.

The primary goal of a brand book is to present and explain your company’s identity, mission, visual style, and core values. Your brand book will help customers and employees understand exactly what you want to convey to your target audience. Once you’ve created the initial edition, reassess it every 5-7 years to see how your brand changes.

I hope I have been able to effectively communicate my points to you. Don’t forget brand promotion entails expressing the value of your brand to a specific audience to foster a favorable image, improve consumer loyalty, and raise brand awareness. Remember that the one-of-a-kind connection you make with your customers is crucial to brand promotion. It’s a combination of artistry, strategy, and true connection.

Nigeria’s largest independent media agency, SBI Media has entered into strategic partnership with the world challenger network, Stagwell global.

Stagwell is a global network with top-flight creative, research, and media expertise built to transform marketing.

The new global partnership will be an expansion of SBI’s marketing services at the global level beyond Africa and Stagwell’s marketing services expansion into Africa as well.

The partnership will enable SBI Media to collaborate with agencies across Stagwell’s network to scale omnichannel media, content, and production capabilities for leading global brands while Stagwell will also tap into SBI’s rapidly growing digital and traditional media environment with a hyper-localized approach.  

Speaking on the global partnership with Stagwell, Rotimi Bankole, Group Managing Director, SBI Media said “We are pleased to join Stagwell, the world’s challenger marketing network. Stagwell’s vision to transform marketing communications is not only in-sync with our DNA, but it is also at the core of what we stand for at SBI Media Group,”

“Our strategic affiliation with Stagwell is now activated, we are proud to take on the next level of our business growth with such partnership across the board that will not only extend to clients with the best in class performance that they expect but also clearly fulfils our vision to share SBI’s outstanding insights into African audiences, media, and markets.

“The Stagwell partnership with SBI is a strategic one and something challenging because they are bringing what is unusual into the marketing sphere and they look for an agency of repute, record, with African genuineness, African story of starting from the scratch who grows from nothing to become big.”

He added that “In 2013, we floated SBI Media Group, and the Nigerian media and marketing landscape has felt our impact. Our story, culture and impact have transformed the way agencies exist in the larger economy.”

Also commenting on the partnership, Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO, Stagwell said. “With the cementing of our partnership with SBI Media and others, Affiliate Program now empowers Stagwell to scale our modern marketing expertise across six continents, driving further value for our clients,”

“By 2025, two-thirds of African households are expected to have increased consumer power in the global economy. As a worldwide leader in culture-moving creativity and modern marketing services, Stagwell’s growth in the region will guide global brands to engage authentically with consumers across Africa.” The new cohort of affiliates represent best-in-class digital media and global communications services”.

“We are currently in the tech space, I will say we are the tech representatives of the marketing communications because what we do for our clients cannot be quantified by monetary value” says Alison Oyome, Group General Manager.

Samuel Odusami, Assistant General Manager, SBI Media UK, stated that “In the next few years, we are going to leverage this partnership for global ambition and relevance impact. It is a very good feeling when you know you have a global team behind you.

Stagwell’s Global Affiliate Program is an agile solution to global expansion, enabling Stagwell to partner with regional experts to drive added value for clients and scale marketing capabilities into new regions. To date, Stagwell has added over50 affiliates to its roster, representing countries across Latin America, MENA, Asia-Pacific, and Eastern Europe.

Insight Publicis, Nigeria’s leading advertising agency, has unveiled a refreshed visual identity, heralding a new era for the company. Insight’s new look and brand symbol represents a commitment to innovation and a renewed focus on digital and tech-first solutions.

The upgraded look comes on the back of the appointment of Dr. Tayo Oyedeji as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the parent company, Redefini, the leading creative consultancy and integrated marketing communications company in West Africa. Dr. Oyedeji, who is renowned for his outstanding record and experience as a leader in communications and technology, has expressed his vision to chart a new path for the communications group starting with its brand identity.

He said: “The new Insight Publicis logo borrows from the past, staying true to our roots while intentionally incorporating our future. It is a mix of modern characteristics including symmetry and simplicity, while maintaining the eccentricity that has made Insight Publicis the continental market leader it is today. The new Insight Publicis identity ushers the agency into a digital-first era where our insights and brand solutions are driven by tech-enabled consumer data and analytics, firmly rooted in our MARCOINS approach that combines understanding of the market, consumer and insights. These ensure we continue to help our clients create value in a world that is predominantly digital.”

The refreshed logo, which reflects a renewed mission, was necessitated by the evolving world of today. In response, Insight Publicis retained their logo’s core elements, which is crystalized in a simpler, more refined colour palette and modern design, yet still retains the spirit of the previous logo.

Speaking on the new logo, Sinmisola Hughes-Obisesan, Creative Director for the Redefini group, stated: “The design of the ‘s’ in our new logo was inspired by the infinity icon in our previous logo and continues to represent the never-ending thinking that goes into bringing out what is indeed our very essence, insights. The insight that we bring to our clients is never bland nor cluttered. It boldly stands out because it is a sharp and clear insight rooted in data that has been extensively mined. And with this point-of-view is our point of differentiation.”

The intent of the refreshed logo was to create a modern, relatable and timeless design. A design which reflects Insight Publicis’ DNA and goal – to lead the change and be frontrunners of the digital-first approach to brand marketing and advertising in Nigeria. From its inception as a pioneer institution in the industry, Insight Publicis has continually paved the way in trends and policies, for which its refreshed visual identity provides additional ammunition.

With its renewed vigour and vision to lead the pack onto commercial blue waters, driven digitally and backed by decades of experience in delivering transformational growth, Insight Publicis is firmly equipped to steer the integrated media communications industry in Nigeria to even greater heights, while ensuring clients realize optimal return on investment.

It is an exciting period for football lovers in the country as the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2021, kicks off in Cameroon today after it was postponed in 2021. One more reason for true fans of the game to be excited is the signing of Nigerian football legend and former Super Eagles Captain Austin “Jay Jay” Okocha as brand ambassador for “33” Export Lager Beer.

The midfield maestro is arguably one of the most loved sports heroes in the country and brought joy to many homes during his time as an active footballer with his exciting style of play.

As the official beer partner of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), “33” Export has been drumming up support for the Super Eagles ahead of the AFCON tournament and this move is in line with that.

Commenting on the signing, Senior Brand Manager, “33” Export Lager, Aishat Anaekwe said “we are excited that Jay Jay Okocha is joining us as a Brand Ambassador just before the AFCON and going into a football year. We know how much Nigerians love football and their footballers and we want this to add to the excitement of the tournament. Celebrating past heroes is also one way to encourage the present squad to go for glory and we believe this signing would truly inspire them.”

The Super Eagles of Nigeria find themselves in Group D where they will face seven-time winners of the tournament, the Pharaohs of Egypt and in-form striker Mohammed Salah. The Desert Hawks of Sudan are no pushover themselves having won the tournament once in the past and coming into this one quite strong. The Eagles have never met the Djurtus of Guinea Bissau at the international level and hopefully, there are no unpleasant surprises.

After a painful loss at the semi-finals of the 2019 AFCON via a Riyad Mahrez freekick in the final minutes of the game, the Super Eagles went on to win the third-place match against Tunisia. This time around, the Super Eagles are one of the favourites to lift the trophy and the veteran has backed them to have a decent showing this time around. In his words,

“I believe we have a decent squad that should have a great outing at the tournament. We alone are the obstacles we need to overcome. With the right support from the fans and partners like “33”, everything is possible. We really can be super together.”

Joining superstars Olamide and Odunlade Adekola, Nigeria’s turntable sensation Ayorinde Kehinde Okiki, also known as DJ Kaywise, has just secured an ambassadorial deal with one of Nigerian Breweries Plc foremost beer brands, Goldberg Lager Beer.

The announcement was made official after fans and followers called on the brand to sign the DJ.

The talented artist who kicked off his career professionally in 2010, gradually climbed through the rungs of the music ladder to work with top acts like Olamide, Phyno, Tiwa Savage, Naira Marley, Zlatan Ibile and Niniola. Using his style of music production, Kaywise projects African and Nigerian cultures and values through Afrobeats to the rest of the world. This quality is synonymous with the Goldberg brand, hence its choice to unveil the renowned DJ as brand ambassador comes as no surprise.

Speaking on the announcement, DJ Kaywise expressed gratitude to the brand saying,

“I started out in the industry in 2010, putting in my blood and sweat to ensure I produce sounds that people around me and those in the diaspora could identify and connect with. There are a couple of acts out here in the industry and Goldberg reaching out to me, shows that all of my hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed.

In my new role as an ambassador for Goldberg, I hope to continuously project both myself and the brand in a manner that connects well with my fans and Goldberg lovers, working to keep our culture and values fresh in their minds.”

Goldberg Lager Beer was acquired by Nigerian Breweries in 2011, and since then, has remained one of the best performing brands in its portfolio.

The brand has, over the years, invested in the rejuvenation of culture and content through its talent hunt show Ariya Repete, that seeks talents in music genres like fuji, Yoruba hip-hop and juju. It has also continued to support festivals like the Olojo Festival, and has gone on to garner grand endorsements from traditional rulers like the Oba of Lagos, HRH, Oba Rilwan Akiolu.

Commenting on the partnership, the Portfolio Manager, Mainstream Brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Omotunde Adenusi, revealed the brand’s need to create an experience that will celebrate the traditional culture and values people were raised with, in a way that aligns with the current pop culture which is fast gaining strides in the country.

“DJ Kaywise is a household name on the Nigerian music scene and we’re excited to have him on the brand” Omotunde said. “Kaywise, just like Goldberg, brings his fans closer to their roots, through his music, yet keeping them in touch with the trends. This perfect blend of both worlds is what the Goldberg brand has become known for.”

Goldberg is a brand that believes in keeping values and traditions alive and fresh as a way to shape the future.

With a wide array of exciting activities that brilliantly connects with its ever-loyal consumers, Goldberg continues to remain one of the most authentic brands in the beer industry.

Kia has revealed its new corporate logo and global brand slogan. Kia states that the introduction of the new logo represents Kia’s ambitions to establish a leadership position in the future mobility industry by revamping nearly all facets of its business.

“Kia’s new logo represents the company’s commitment to becoming an icon for change and innovation”, said Ho Sung Song, Kia’s President and CEO. “The automotive industry is experiencing a period of rapid transformation, and Kia is proactively shaping and adapting to these changes. Our new logo represents our desire to inspire customers as their mobility needs evolve, and for our employees to rise to the challenges we face in a fast-changing industry.”

The new logo was unveiled during a record-breaking pyrotechnic display in the skies above Incheon, Korea. The event saw 303 pyrodrones launching hundreds of fireworks in a synchronized artistic display, igniting and celebrating Kia’s new beginning. This set a new Guinness World Record for ‘Most unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launching fireworks simultaneously’. The dazzling display can be seen on the Kia Global YouTube channel

In addition to an all-new logo, Kia revealed its new global brand slogan, ‘Movement that inspires’. Details on Kia’s new brand strategy, including brand purpose and philosophy as well as application to Kia’s future product line-up, will be shared through the digital ‘New Kia Brand Showcase’ event to be held January 15.

The launch of the new logo follows the announcement of Kia’s ‘Plan S’ long-term business strategy in 2020. Under Plan S, Kia, among other objectives, has the ambition to take a leading position in the global car market. This is focused on popularizing electric vehicles and introducing a broad range of mobility services, tailored to meet the needs and tastes of individuals and local markets.

New Kia logo: What does it mean?

Concerning the new logo, Ho Sung Song, Kia’s president and CEO said, “Kia’s new logo represents the company’s commitment to becoming an icon for change and innovation. The automotive industry is experiencing a period of rapid transformation, and Kia is proactively shaping and adapting to these changes. Our new logo represents our desire to inspire customers as their mobility needs to evolve, and for our employees to rise to the challenges we face in a fast-changing industry.”

The new logo resembles a handwritten signature, which is meant to convey Kia’s commitment to bringing moments of inspiration and confidence. The rising gestures on the logo embody Kia’s rising ambitions for the brand and what the company offers its customers.

Setting a world record

At the event to celebrate the new logo in Incheon, South Korea, 303 pyrodrones launched hundreds of fireworks in a synchronised display, setting the Guinness World Record for ‘Most unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launching fireworks simultaneously’.

The brand has also announced that it will reveal details regarding a new brand strategy – from the brand’s purpose and philosophy to applications in future Kia models – on January 15, 2021.

Today we have publicly launched the new Access Bank, one company, with 28,000 staff across 600 branches and 29 million customers worldwide. This follows legal completion of the merger on 19 March and the launch of our new brand today.

The enlarged Access Bank will have a formidable commercial and retail banking business, providing significant opportunities to customers, staff, shareholders and other stakeholders. Our new logo fuses Diamond Bank and Access Bank’s brands together, and we have launched a new brand promise – access. more than banking – which symbolizes our shared philosophy.

The combination of Diamond Bank’s strong retail customer franchise and leading digital platform with Access Bank’s corporate banking capabilities, proven risk management and capital management expertise has created a diversified Nigerian financial institution with strong value creation potential.

The new Access Bank will provide benefits to all stakeholders, including customers, shareholders and staff. Access Bank is now one of the leading Tier 1 Nigerian banks, which:

• has increased its market reach and customer convenience through an expanded network of over 600 branches and 3100 ATMs, complemented by the enhanced distribution of world-class mobile and digital channels
• has a strengthened corporate banking business, as a result of customer consolidation and the opportunity afforded by combined product offerings and marketing capabilities
• has the breadth, scale and product range to further accelerate the financial inclusion agenda both banks have pursued separately
• has the capacity to provide credit lines to a more diversified client base
• is a stronger, safer institution with an enlarged balance sheet, enhanced liquidity profile and robust capital base
• will deliver revenue and cost synergies at NGN150 billion per annum, to be fully realized within three years post-completion

Commenting on the merger, Herbert Wigwe, Group Chief Executive of Access Bank, said:

“This is a transformational moment for Access Bank. I remember almost two decades ago when, together with my partner, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, we set out a dream for Access Bank – to change the face of banking in Nigeria and lift the continent of Africa through sustainable banking. We wanted to show individuals and businesses across the country that ethical business was good business. 

Some years earlier, Pascal Dozie, one of Nigeria’s leading figures in banking, launched Diamond Bank to harness technology to help people respond to changing lifestyles and support societal shifts.

This merger has enabled us to realize our dream of becoming a leading full-service bank in Nigeria and a Pan-African financial services champion. Combining Diamond Bank’s leadership in digital and mobile-led retail banking with Access Bank’s expertise in trade finance, cash management, treasury and corporate finance drives significant opportunities through the value chain.

As we promised on 19 December 2018, we have taken decisive steps to maintain the capital strength of the combined entity and ensure its financial stability. The Enlarged Access Bank has an extremely strong capital adequacy ratio of more than 20% following completion of the merger. For both Diamond Bank and Access Bank, today marks the beginning of a shared vision to create a large diversified retail bank that is modern, intelligent and digitally led; of global scale and scope, with strong payment capabilities. We want to be able to support our 29 million customers as they achieve their dreams and ambitions, and in doing so play our part in supporting the national economy and our continent as Africa’s gateway to the world.”

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International’s  most global brand continues its transformation journey with a nod to its timeless pioneering legacy, as it unveils a new logo that pays homage to its past and depicts its vision for the future. The new design reflects the brand’s holistic vision for the future, making Sheraton the central gathering place of communities around the world, welcoming guests and locals into a public space that embodies the modern town square vibe.

“The logo’s evolution reflects the renewed energy and firm commitment we are making to our owners and guests to the resurgence of this iconic brand.  More than a logo, this is a symbolic statement of Sheraton’s vision for our new guest experience,” said Mara Hannula, Vice President, Global Brand Marketing, Classic Premium Brands. “This was the final piece of the redesign puzzle and offers a modernized look and feel to match our reimagined spaces while maintaining the powerful equity and recognition of the original logo.”

The new Sheraton experience will be available to guests later this year in Phoenix. The transformed 1,000-room Sheraton Grand Phoenix hotel which the company purchased in 2018 will bring to life the first of Sheraton’s full on-strategy hotel along with other exciting innovations.  The hotel will serve as a living and breathing lab, showcasing design and activations, using new technology and insights that bring a unique community vibe to the space.

“We are excited to introduce the new direction of the brand’s iconic symbol in the Middle East and Africa, where Sheraton has nurtured long-standing relationships with guests, owners and communities for over 50 years,” said Sandra Schulze-Potgieter, Vice President Premium & Select Brands, Marriott International Middle East and Africa. “In line with the transformation of the brand, we are excited to showcase our early adopter properties soon, the Sheraton Jeddah Hotel and Sheraton Grand Hotel, Dubai.”

The new logo has been redesigned to signal an eye to the future while also hearkening back to Sheraton’s history. The new logo reimagines the signature laurel as movement from the world and the energy of gathering, which point to the modernized Sheraton “S” redrawn at the center.  Guests will start to see the new logo on collateral and websites starting in April.

In celebration of this moment for the brand, Sheraton associates across the world are kicking off on March 13 internal rallies to commemorate this milestone and the new Sheraton service and culture strategy, recommitting themselves to the brand and to reestablishing its place at the heart of the global community.

Taxify, the leading European on-demand transportation platform, is changing its name to Bolt and introducing a new logo. The update brings the brand identity in line with the company’s broader vision of transportation that has already expanded from ride-hailing, with cars and motorbikes, to scooter sharing.

Speaking on why the company chose to make the change, Markus Villig, CEO and co-founder, Bolt said, “Taxify launched five years ago with a mission to make urban transportation more convenient and affordable. Our first product was a taxi dispatch solution that gave the company its original name.”

The Estonian-born tech company has evolved in leaps and bounds since its inception to now serve 25 million customers in over 30 countries globally, making it a leader in Europe and Africa. It was also the first company to bring ride-hailing and scooter sharing together in one single app and is currently working on expanding the scooter sharing service across a number of European cities.

“While we’ve made progress on our mission, we’ve also started to outgrow parts of our brand, including the name. Given our ambition to solve transportation problems on an increasingly broader scale, we want the brand to reflect the company’s future rather than the past. Our new name ‘Bolt’ stands for fast, effortless movement – exactly what the experience of getting around in a city should be, be it by car, scooter or public transport. It also underscores our belief that the future of transportation will be electric”, Regional Manager for West Africa at Bolt, Uche Okafor, explained.

The new brand will be gradually rolled out across Bolt’s global markets over the following weeks. Bolt users will not need to take any action as the app will update automatically.

Nigeria’s leading commercial bank, Sterling Bank Plc yesterday unveiled a new logo that builds on its new ‘Rising Sun’ corporate identity reflecting a new, modern look and feel that portrays the bank’s growth trajectory and position for the future. Building on the previous logo which represented a brand aiming for the moon, the new symbol has been rolled out across the bank’s branches nationwide as well as its digital platforms.

“The logo represents our drive and mission to be Nigeria’s foremost bank, delivering highly impactful and valuable solutions for all our stakeholders,” said Sterling Bank’s CEO, Abubakar Suleiman. “Recently we have launched innovative, market-disrupting products such as Specta -Nigeria’s fastest consumer lending platform, FarePay -Africa’s 1st Contactless Transport Card and I-Invest -World’s 1st Mobile Treasury Bills App among others. The logo reflects how far we have come as a Bank and our plans for the future.”

Chief Marketing Officer of Sterling Bank, Ibidapo Martins said the new logo was imperative because the former logo symbolized a brand going on a journey while the new one is an indication that “we have arrived at the top and are ready to take over the Nigerian banking industry.

According to him, “The revolution is in full swing and we have only just begun. This is the time to chart new territories, defy expectations and push forward more than we have ever done in the past.”

The new logo will be rolled out across the Bank’s footprint and will be visible in the branches, on employee apparel and across digital channels. While it continues to provide full-service commercial banking, Sterling Bank will focus its resources on driving efficiency across the business under the three pillars of agility, digitization and specialization. These pillars are the bank’s pathway to sustainable growth by enhancing its ability to innovate, solidify its retail funding base, strengthen its enterprise-wide risk management framework and drive excellent service delivery across all its channels to enhance customer experience.

Sterling Bank’s new brand identity reinforces the bank’s ambition to roll out more innovative and disruptive solutions aiming for a greater market share of the retail banking segment.