ACB Bank
Revitalizing an aging private bank into a premium brand, a strong brand in an unstable financial climate.
Afghanistan Commercial Bank, one of the nation’s leading private banks, had experienced tremendous growth and was expecting rapid expansions in the near future. Realizing the economic potential of the country, the bank had to reposition and rebrand itself, as a necessary step towards the ambitious goals outlined by a new board of directors in 2015. Their business model emphasized services for small and mid-size local companies, but also offered services to wealthy customers. A repositioning would steer the bank towards providing a more premium banking experience, focusing on private and corporate clients.
The recent bankruptcy of the Kabul Bank and the Afghanistan Development Bank demonstrated the unreliability of the country‘s current banking system. The rebranding of ACB had to reassure and establish trust and authority to new and existing clients amidst this unstable financial climate. Transforming their aging and inconsistent identity system into a strongly established, luxurious brand that could weather any future storms.
We designed a completely new logo and visual identity, rooted in the ancient cultural design heritage of Afghanistan. Inspiration was taken from geometric design motifs found on traditional clothing and Hazara embroidery. The distinct shapes and repeating patterns formed an important base for creating an identity that resonates with the locals, strongly grounding the design in the nation’s legacy. A truly authentic Afghan brand, established as a secure and trustworthy financial institution, that will, like tradition, withstand the test of time.
Afghanistan Commercial Bank, one of the nation’s leading private banks, had experienced tremendous growth and was expecting rapid expansions in the near future. Realizing the economic potential of the country, the bank had to reposition and rebrand itself, as a necessary step towards the ambitious goals outlined by a new board of directors in 2015. Their business model emphasized services for small and mid-size local companies, but also offered services to wealthy customers. A repositioning would steer the bank towards providing a more premium banking experience, focusing on private and corporate clients.
The recent bankruptcy of the Kabul Bank and the Afghanistan Development Bank demonstrated the unreliability of the country‘s current banking system. The rebranding of ACB had to reassure and establish trust and authority to new and existing clients amidst this unstable financial climate. Transforming their aging and inconsistent identity system into a strongly established, luxurious brand that could weather any future storms.
We designed a completely new logo and visual identity, rooted in the ancient cultural design heritage of Afghanistan. Inspiration was taken from geometric design motifs found on traditional clothing and Hazara embroidery. The distinct shapes and repeating patterns formed an important base for creating an identity that resonates with the locals, strongly grounding the design in the nation’s legacy. A truly authentic Afghan brand, established as a secure and trustworthy financial institution, that will, like tradition, withstand the test of time.
The new logomark is a symbol for change, growth and power. We took apart the old logo and reimagined the arrow - the only distinct design element of the old design. To reflect the company’s change in direction, two identical arrows now form the initials AC, with the A pointing up and the C seemingly waiting behind in line. To signify the importance of continual growth, the A overlaps the C in their ascent, casting a large shadow that is subtracted, and the resulting mark is simplified and abstracted.
Raised in donations in the first year
Children helped through international projects
Families received personal help in the Netherlands
Food packages delivered
Fundraisers organized
Social media followers
Estimated brand valuation
Average yearly revenue
Client base expansion
"Incredible work on the new brand identity. We are excited about implementing the rebranding across all our branches. "
Sayed Javed Andish
CEO
