01
Understanding the Audience
After several workshops with the client team, we saw that they could use our help articulating the things that made them stand out in a crowded competitive landscape. To get it right, we turned to the people who know them best – their clients. In interviews with old and new clients, on both the institutional and family side of the business, we dug deeper into the things that make 1919 worth choosing.
Finding the Core of the Brand
What we found was that 1919 was distinctly capable of delivering on a very specific balance that clients are seeking. Clients want to feel like they are in control of their wealth, and that the decisions being made are reflective of what they want. But they also value a partner who can simply “handle it,” and provide them more freedom to live their lives.
The picture that they painted was one of an active listener, who takes the time to deeply understand client needs and then executes on the information they’ve gathered. We developed a brand anthem, position and character around this core idea — a 1919 advisor isn’t just waiting to talk: they’re listening.
Building comprehensive messaging
With the core positioning of the brand established, we were able to build out a deep messaging strategy, centered on the different pain points for key audience segments. While much of the messaging focused on the core investment counsel services 1919 provides, we were sure to craft targeted messaging around their responsible investing and women & wealth pillars, as well as messaging for the foundation and endowment audience that makes up a key piece of their business.
02
Reimagining the look
The distinctive and authentic positioning we aligned around required more than a new website. We reimagined the whole visual system, finding thematic ways to deliver on our core ideas with the visual brand.
Bringing the picture into focus
We used the slash from the 1919 logo to frame highly personal and human photography that we layered with scenic images of pathways. This visual treatment brought the idea of a “clearer path” to bear in the design. Around that core component, we introduced a distinctive illustration style, unique pattern elements, and a new system for data visualization that would allow every piece of brand material to feel considered.
03
Bringing it to Life Online
With that new brand identity established, we were able to turn to the website and other collateral to bring it to life in the world. For the website in particular, we pulled heavily on the strategy that we had established to deliver an experience that was clean and easy for the visitor, and clearly expressed 1919’s voice.
Defining the site architecture.
The site had previously been built around pages dedicated to individual service offerings. This created a lack of unity and led to inconsistent content that was thin in some places and far too dense in others.
The new approach treats the solutions 1919 provides holistically, and focuses on the primary audience need, rather than the specific pieces of the puzzle that 1919 could provide. In this way, the site clears up the pathway a prospect might take to get in touch with the team, which is where the real trust building begins.
Momentum through motion
In many places across the site we incorporated movement that inspires interaction, connotes momentum, and gives the site a premium touch that reflects the quality of service found with 1919.
Expanding across platforms.
In addition to the website, we helped the team craft new branded templates to bring email and social media communications into step with the larger brand. We applied select elements of the system to create something that stands out in the daily churn of a social media feed, but doesn't come across cluttered.
Putting the audience at the center
Across the website, in copy and imagery, we wanted to ensure that the focus was the audience benefit and not the firm’s raw capabilities. Images were carefully selected to further the storytelling, carefully balancing thematic relevance while avoiding stock photo tropes. Copy leans on the end results for clients, with 1919’s expertise and attitude as core proof points.
Laying the groundwork.
The business of wealth management is built on interpersonal trust, rapport, and personalization — three things that a website will struggle to convey. For 1919 in particular, we knew that this role of the active listener was the most important thing to the experience people had with the brand as a whole. Rather than try to convey this all on the website, we crafted the user journey around key calls to get in touch. The experts on the 1919 team are the ones who will make the real difference for their client — the website needed to connect the dots and get out of the way.
A human touch
Many of the competitor sites we saw in our research phased lacked any human element at all — relying on text, color floods and logos. We knew that for the brand essence we’d identified to come through, this site would have to do more.
We identified an incredibly unique ballpoint pen typeface as a chance to bring more warmth and humanity into the site. When paired with anonymous client testimonials, or the voice of 1919 team members, the script creates a personal touch that is incredibly distinct for the space.
Push10 has been really easy to work with throughout our brand and website project, and their process and follow-through have been extremely helpful in keeping our project on track. It’s clear that their team truly listened and took the time to understand us and what makes us different, which is a unique quality.
1919 Investment Counsel
Ian McEneaney, Principal, Growth Ops
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