Case Studies

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Challenge ~ The David L. Babson Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mass Mutual Insurance needed to rename their company and create
new positioning supported by a comprehensive visual branding system. RainCastle was hired because of our extensive branding and visual identity experience in financial services.

David L. Babson suffered from a combination of lack of awareness in the marketplace, perceptions that they were still the small investment boutique they started as, rather than managers of $100b in assets. They also expressed concern that their ownership by Mass Mutual suggested that they were not an entrepreneurial company.

Solution ~ RainCastle led an extensive positioning exercise designed to build internal consensus around the meaning of Babson Capital Management, the new name. Upon conducting extensive interviews, RainCastle led a branding workshop with corporate leaders that yielded the approved positioning and supporting messages. The following positioning became the foundation for our visual brand identity system. "Babson Capital Management provides a powerful array of innovative, high performing, alternative investment solutions for large, sophisticated investors looking for a high quality partner with
specialized investment expertise and access to capital."

From a visual perspective, the concept of "alternative investment solutions" had the entrepreneurial and emotional hook that made for passionate discussions. The RainCastle team began the identity process by developing the new corporate logo that interprets alternative solutions into "thinking outside the box," or "outside the obvious" We then completed applications of the new logo on a full stationery system, interior and exterior signage for 8 national offices, premiums including shirts, hats, golf balls, binoculars, etc.; and a full collateral system featuring a family of conceptual illustrations. Applications included a corporate brochure, 6 product brochures, pitch books and holiday cards.

Results ~When we launched the Babson Capital brand, the logo was an instant hit around the firm because everybody who saw it, "got it," with no explanation. It "showed" that Babson thinks out of the box and was the perfect springboard for their sales and marketing team to begin a discussion about their alternative investment capabilities.

The rollout of the identity has been successful, embraced by both employees and clients and there has been a spike in web traffic. Said Jackie Maurer, Managing Director of Product Marketing, "RainCastle provided excellent guidance and leadership in successfully rebranding our company. They helped us articulate and build consensus around our mission and then executed a new corporate and brand identity that has unified our company."