Small Loans, Big Dreams
Copernicus Fund is a new microfinance institution in the Bay Area of California. They came to Singlebound Creative to launch their brand and web presence.
Working together with Copernicus, we could see the web presence needed to reach four key user profiles. Profiles ranged from people with limited English and a cell phone as their connection to the internet, to the very tech-savvy individual holding an advanced degree and a desk job in the Silicon Valley.
To get the big idea across plainly and simply to all groups, we set a benchmark: Each group must understand in ten seconds or less that Copernicus Fund is an ethical microlending institution appropriate for their needs…and how to get in touch.
Three out of four of our entrepreneur groups needed educating that microfinance is appropriate for their venture, so we developed a visual language that allowed for a flexible icon set, graphically depicting potential business ventures. This became a highly effective means to bridge the language barrier as well.
Microlending — Differentiating from Kiva.
Since 2006 when Muhammad Yunus was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, microlending has been synonymous with breaking the cycle of poverty in underdeveloped countries, often through one-to-one lending from developed nations to entrepreneurs abroad.
Copernicus Fund is different. It exists to directly serve those underserved by traditional banks in the Bay Area, and does so via a streamlined lending process comprised of a few short face-to-face meetings.
Our strategy was an ultra-clean, modern layout with a no-nonsense tone. We intentionally stepped away from ‘not-for-profit’ brand cues and opted for a strong, fresh B2B look. The brand mark is a simple ‘C’ with a fresh gradient of blue to green, reminiscent of the San Francisco Bay. The serif, almost navy blue typeface communicates seriousness. The lower case presentation coupled with the rounded brandmark and gradient give the impression of a next-generation brand.
