What they were up against.
Four high-powered brands within the Wells Fargo family came together to form Abbot Downing, a wealth management business catering to clientele with a net worth of $450 million and above. The new company had plenty of talent, expertise and legacy, yet lacked a unique identity. They came to Yamamoto for help in recasting the brand to refine and amplify the benefits of the stronger, merged organization and its connection to Wells Fargo.
What we did to help.
We analyzed the competitive landscape and interviewed stakeholders for insights. We facilitated a brand workshop for the senior team to build an image for the brand that everyone could embrace. Our creative inspiration came from the heritage of its namesake company, the Abbot Downing brand, a 19th-century New Hampshire builder of the iconic stagecoaches that have come to represent Wells Fargo. The company was known for its ingenuity, high-quality craftsmanship and distinctive passenger experience.
We arrived at a look and feel that is as bold and powerful as the brand, but does not sacrifice sophistication or clarity. A complete visual overhaul, icon library, executive portrait shoot and newly designed website rounded out the body of work.
Website
Collateral
White Papers
Direct Mail
Brochure
What happened next.
The rebranding was met with high praise both internally and externally. Much hard work and passion went into elevating Abbot Downing’s visual identity and refining the brand voice and story, all while keeping a deliberate connection to the Wells Fargo brand. Yamamoto’s work has helped Abbot Downing see continual growth, with more than 600 clients nationally and $38 billion in total client assets. In addition, Abbot Downing was named “Best Private Asset Manager” by Family Wealth Reports.
“I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done with Yamamoto to enrich the Abbot Downing brand. We set out and accomplished our goals of elevating our visual identity, refining our brand voice and story and making a deliberate connection to the Wells Fargo brand. Yamamoto’s hard work and passion resulted in an Abbot Downing brand of which we can all be proud.” – Jim Steiner, President, Abbot Downing