Full Service Rebranding

How denkwerk brought the regional brand of Sparkasse KölnBonn to life

(Almost) everyone knows the red of the Sparkasse. However, the regional institutions are often barely distinguishable from one another under the umbrella brand. So we set out to create a regional and independent brand for Sparkasse KölnBonn from the traditional umbrella brand in the Cologne-Bonn area. A transformation process began that was to become a milestone for us and for Sparkasse KölnBonn. As a full-service agency, we delivered full service: the first regional brand strategy, a new corporate design, an attention-grabbing campaign and the big Brand Day, a brand event with around 3,500 employees.

Everything to draw attention to the region's largest sponsor, its services and its regional commitment: Sparkasse KölnBonn.

Regional means authentic: Sparkasse KölnBonn rethought

Our mission began with an in-depth analysis of four key areas, carried out by our Strategy Department: a look at and into the company, at the customers including our own market research, at the culture of the banking industry and at the competitors. The aim was to highlight Sparkasse KölnBonn as a regional brand within the Sparkasse umbrella organization. With precision and creative verve, we developed a new brand strategy that resulted in an emotional brand story. From now on, this brand story serves as a compass for all business decisions and gives Sparkasse KölnBonn an unmistakable - and above all emotional - identity.

Under the motto "Hier ist dein Geld mehr wert", we are for the first time really putting the regional commitment of Sparkasse KölnBonn at the center of communication. In a world in which banks usually distribute their profits to their shareholders in the form of dividends, it is not surprising that only 39 % of people in the region knew that Sparkasse KölnBonn invests a large proportion of its profits back into regional development projects. To be precise: In 2023, this amounted to EUR 13.5 million, which went to around 2,900 development measures in Cologne and Bonn.

Illuminated display with claim "Füreinander Hier."

Tradition meets innovation: a new claim and a new corporate design

Based on the brand story, the brand history on the basis of the brand strategy, the new claim then got down to business. The campaign team developed the new claim "Füreinander Hier", which emphasizes the proximity to the region and thus the claim of Sparkasse KölnBonn. A fresh corporate design was also created. The new look combines tradition and modernity: the traditional Sparkasse red has been retained and is now complemented by regional illustrations and authentic, perfectly imperfect images - just like KölnBonn! The iconic, rounded corner of the Sparkasse S is now integrated into the visuals as a new element. This update makes it possible to recognize Sparkasse KölnBonn at first glance and to stand out from the competition.

Sparkasse KölnBonn campaign: Poster with the inscription "When Tim's savings plan makes it big. And promotes little kickers".

Committed to the region: The "Not Bad" campaign

Sparkasse KölnBonn is the largest sponsor in the areas of social affairs, sport, art and culture as well as sustainability and education. It was important to make people aware of this fact. This is where our "Not Bad" campaign comes into play, capturing the exact moment when people realize what Sparkasse KölnBonn does for their homeland - inspired by Barack Obama's famous "Not Bad" facial expression.

With out-of-home posters, special editions for special occasions (such as a street basketball tournament in Köln-Ehrenfeld and the RANDALE & FREUNDE Festival in Bonn's Rheinaue), online banners and podcast advertising, we spread the message that every customer of Sparkasse KölnBonn is also a supporter of the region. Our campaign team shows: This is exactly how you turn a brand strategy into a convincing and effective campaign.

And now everyone: Brand Day

A company's employees are the brand's most important ambassadors. Part of the transformation process was therefore also to get the more than 3,500 employees of Sparkasse KölnBonn excited about the new regional brand and explain its significance to them. This is how the Brand Day was born. The planning phase began together with Sparkasse KölnBonn in the campaign team and was quickly supported by our user experience team. Together with Sparkasse KölnBonn and the event agency fünfdrei, we created a unique experience for all employees in the new "Confex" exhibition building at Messe Köln. There has never been such a large event with interactive exhibitions, innovative workshops, a pleasant networking area and an impressive stage program all about the brand in the Sparkasse KölnBonn cosmos.

New corporate design of Sparkasse KölnBonn on the exhibition grounds

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Tablet with headline: Danke, dass ihr mich bei der Mission "Füreinander Hier" - Escape Game

Person with cell phone, in the background brochure Sparkasse KölnBonn

All employees took part in two exciting brand sessions. In teams, they went through an escape game developed by us and immersed themselves in the new brand world in a playful way. With impressive motivation, curiosity and team spirit, they mastered seven puzzle stages - some analog, some digital - to secure the "here for each other" and strengthen the community.

Our gamification concepts are flexible and can be tailored to different topics and target groups. They create unforgettable shared experiences, convey complex information in an entertaining way and promote a playful approach to new ideas and collaborative solutions to challenges. This concept also proved to be an effective tool for positive change in the transformation process at Sparkasse KölnBonn.

Glass door with new claim "For each other here."

The Brand Day culminated in an impressive stage program, which included a prize distribution for the benefit of the foundations present as well as an atmospheric performance by the Cologne band Cat Ballou. On this special day, everyone involved experienced at first hand just how significant and vibrant a brand can be. The Brand Day was therefore a great success that both we and Sparkasse KölnBonn will remember fondly.

We see red: in the best way

Together, we have shown how to revitalize a regional brand and promote positive change in the way employees think and act. The interdisciplinary interplay of strategy, campaign, visual design, experience design and project management resulted in a multi-layered project with lasting success. This is how we brought the "For each other here" to life for Sparkasse KölnBonn - collaboration that is set to continue!