Starling, the British digital challenger bank, is preparing to rebrand with a new visual identity and media strategy later this year and has unveiled a number of new senior hires to support its ambition.
To support its rebrand, Starling has launched a new platform dubbed ‘Good with money’, which forms part of its mission to encourage customers to take active control of their finances. Four senior hires have also joined Starling’s in-house team to help deliver the bank’s new brand, alongside appointing two new agencies.
Starling’s ‘Good with money’ platform is supported by the bank’s central mission that one day, everyone in the UK will have a healthy relationship with their money. This mission is a response to the challenging financial landscape for people in the UK, with more than half of UK adults worried about the state of their finances.
“Starling’s app-based approach to banking changed the sector for good. Now we have a new mandate to change the UK’s relationship with money,” explained Michele Rousseau, chief marketing officer at Starling. “There’s a misunderstanding that being good with money is about having a lot of it, when in reality it’s about knowing what to do with it. We believe that with the right tools and the right mindset, financial wellbeing can be in reach for everyone.”
Starling is aiming to encourage more customers to take control of their finances by using its in-app features and tools that make money management an everyday habit. Starling plans to release more features that guide customers towards financial wellness, with the bank recently launching Spending Intelligence, a UK-first banking feature that lets customers ask questions about their spending habits.
Making money management “an everyday action”
‘Good with money’ will feature on a series of creative executions across owned and above the line channels later this year, which will be created by Starling’s in-house studio in partnership with newly appointed brand and creative partner, The Sunshine Company.
The bank is also in the process of refreshing its visual identity, with an updated logo, colour palette and app design, designed in collaboration with Wolff Olins, set to follow in the near future. Starling says it will announce its new media agency this summer following a competitive pitch process.
Four new senior hires have joined Starling’s marketing team to help deliver the new brand, including a brand strategy director, brand and product marketing director, and two executive creative directors. The newly created roles have been filled by Indiana Matine, John Harrison, Neil Cooper and Rachel Sullivan, who bring experience from Expedia Group, BBH, Wieden+Kennedy, Wolff Olins and Conde Nast.
“Starling has proven its worth as a bank that fits into people’s everyday lives,” Rousseau added. “Our challenge now is to go a step beyond that, by tackling the inertia within banking and the perception that banking is a utility. We’re drawing inspiration from wellness and sports brands, with a mission to make money management an everyday action that can improve your wellbeing.”
