Rebranding the world's first investment trust

Background Launched in 1868, F&C is the world’s oldest collective investment scheme. Investment Trusts were created to give individual investors exposure to a wide range of equities by pooling their resources. F&C gives individuals exposure to over 450 companies from around the world.

Brief To create a new Brand Positioning and Visual Identity. F&C is managed by BMO and has largely adopted BMO’s core branding approach. BMO was then acquired by Columbia Threadneedle, so the manager (BMO) will rebrand to Columbia Threadneedle, so F&C needs a distinctive Brand Identity of its own.

Insight F&C Investment Trust has been in business for over 150 years. This heritage and provenance are proof that F&C have never stopped thinking ahead, and never stopped putting their customers first. It’s less about them, and more about their customers.

Solution A new Brand Positioning – It’s smart to start with F&C. Smart investors start with F&C. They trust us to provide the cornerstone to their investment portfolio – the firm foundation on which to build, and to grow, their investments. Helping to set them up for future success.

The new Visual Identity was inspired by the idea of ‘F&C, & you’ – helping you (the customer), achieve your financial goals and setting you up for success. The dominance of the ampersand helps to communicate this in a bold graphic way.

A bold, vibrant Visual Identity that represents a definitive break with the category’s corporate traditions – using a hot fuchsia as a primary colour – moved the brand away from the ‘banking blue’ and ‘lucky red’ so often associated with finance, to give F&C a truely ownable, and standout identity.

Using the distinctive, bespoke ampersand as a supergraphic creates a unique and recognisable asset for use in all brand communications. The black and white portrait photography style is direct, straightforward, and distinctive in the sector.