Brand

CASE STUDY

Amova Asset Management

From Japan to the World: Creating a distinctive identity to unlock global ambition

Challenge

Born in Tokyo, Nikko Asset Management had built a trusted legacy over 65 years in Japan and beyond. As the business evolved—broadening its investor base, expanding its investment capabilities and deepening its global footprint—its engagement model also became more modern, language-agnostic and globally integrated.

But while the company’s Tokyo heritage remained a powerful part of its identity, its brand no longer fully reflected the business it had become or the future it was building toward. As Nikko Asset Management continued to grow globally, it saw an opportunity to create a new brand that could better express both its origins and its international ambition.

Solution

Prophet partnered with Nikko Asset Management to create a brand for its next chapter of growth. Through interviews, audits, and co-creation workshops, we clarified the company’s ambition and the role the brand could play in expressing it.
The result was Amova Asset Management, a new name shaped through a collaborative process involving 175 colleagues worldwide over more than a year.

Derived from “Asset Management”, “Move” and “Nova,” Amova expresses progress, renewal and continuous innovation.
 The new brand reflects the firm’s evolution as a global asset manager and its commitment to helping clients navigate a changing investment landscape with confidence.

We brought the brand to life through a visual identity that combines precision with warmth. An arrow-inspired motif conveys direction and momentum, while a distinctive purple palette and rounded forms express confidence and approachability. Under the tagline “Your Goals. Our Commitment.” and the message “Born in Tokyo. Shaped in Asia. Powered by Global Insight.”, the brand launched across film, digital, print, and out-of-home channels.

“Thanks to the Prophet team for the wonderful partnership and it has been an exhilarating journey for us as a firm. All the members from Prophet have been so dedicated and accommodative to our timeline, budget, and iterative discussions. The depth of expertise and insights are greatly respected and recognized by stakeholders in the firm.”

Joyce Koh
Joint Global Head of Marketing and Sustainability
Joint Head of Global Communications
Amova Asset Management

Clarity, Focus and Human Purpose

With a dynamic wordmark and a symbol that turns a stylized ‘a’ into an upward arrow, the identity signals progress and intent. The design system blends Asian sensibility with global sophistication. Amova partners with clients to navigate change toward lasting goals.

Built for Flexibility and Motion

The Amova identity flexes seamlessly across platforms, markets, and audiences. From the archer-inspired logo to the purple-dominant palette and a directional graphic language extended from the logo, every element reinforces focus, movement, and optimism.

Result

From strategy to creative activation, Prophet helped Amova build a unified brand system for growth. The brand launch united over 900 employees across ten markets, reinvigorated client perception, and signaled Amova’s readiness to lead a new era of progressive asset management. Amova’s new identity separates the firm from legacy associations, reinforces trust and establishes a strong foundation for future expansion.

Prophet continues to partner with Amova to further embed and amplify the brand, ensuring its long-term impact and global relevance.

EMEA
(Sep 2025 – Mar 2026)

4M+

Impressions and 592 new contacts generated for sales (100% above year-end objective)

New Zealand
(Sept – Nov 2026)

9M+

Impressions and 12,056 click-throughs (0.13% CTR against O.1% benchmark)

Singapore
(Feb – Apr 2026)

6M+

Impressions and 76.5k click-throughs (1.2% CTR against 0.6% benchmark)

Hong Kong
(Mar – Apr 2026)

20M+

Impressions and 461k click-throughs (2.22% CTR against 0.32% benchmark)

CASE STUDY

esoupkitchen

Let’s eat together: building a global brand strategy for everyday giving 

Challenge

esoupkitchen is a global donation app built on a simple idea: no one should go hungry. The organization aimed to move beyond oneoff donations to create a sustained culture of everyday giving that connects people across borders through shared purpose. 

While the mission was clear, the brand lacked a strong narrative to consistently communicate its value and impact. The proposition was unevenly expressed across stakeholders, resulting in a fragmented understanding of the platform. In addition, esoupkitchen needed a structured go-to-market plan to drive awareness and support ongoing engagement. 

Solution

Prophet partnered with esoupkitchen to strengthen its digital presence and create a brand experience designed to encourage repeat giving. Together, we defined a clear brand narrative built around “Let’s eat together,” positioning nourishment as a shared, human connection. 

We then established a clear value proposition, articulating the mutual benefits for target donors (Gen Z), NGOs and vendors, grounded in research that sheds light on the nuances of Gen Z’s giving habits. This framework brought clarity to how esoupkitchen creates value across its ecosystem. 

Finally, we translated strategy into action through a phased go–to-market plan, supported by campaign concepts and practical activation ideas to drive awareness and sustained engagement with key audiences over time. 

Results

Our partnership supported esoupkitchen’s evolution from an early-stage donation platform into a more connected, trust driven brand. The messaging developed through the project is already being used to engage donors globally and has been activated on the ground in locations including Jordan, Zimbabwe, and Gaza, helping raise awareness of esoupkitchen among communities it serves. 

CASE STUDY

AEG

A brand refresh to help AEG challenge the expected

Challenge

For many brands, staying distinctive and competitive in an ever-changing market is a constant challenge. AEG, part of the Electrolux Group, has trusted Prophet as a longstanding partner to help evolve its brand expression while staying true to its rich heritage. Since its initial brand refresh in 2014, our focus has been on helping AEG maintain its modern edge, build on its strengths and ensure its brand resonates throughout its diverse, multi-faceted consumer journey.  

Solution

AEG tasked our team with a major visual brand identity (VBI) refresh. Our creative process began with a deep dive into its business and brand strategy, ensuring we were aligned with the future direction. A key focus was redefining AEG’s strategic positioning around the core idea of “Challenge the Expected.” This involved close collaboration with the CMO to reshape the brand’s meaning and values before translating them into creative expressions. 

We worked alongside AEG’s marketing, social, web, sales and product teams to understand the evolving consumer journey. Through surveys, stakeholder workshops and extensive collaboration, we identified both the brand’s strengths and areas for growth. By testing creative assets, we refined our approach, ensuring the final expression resonated with consumers while staying within defined creative boundaries. 

Prioritizing flexibility and consistency across touchpoints, we ensured that product detail pages, demo videos and retail assets felt cohesive and part of the same brand. By examining successful elements of the visual identity, such as logo and color, we could make strategic decisions that reinforced the brand’s strength.    

Example visual

Key Creative Elements: Introducing the ‘AEG World’

Color: Red has been central to AEG’s identity since its founding in 1887. While other brands in the market also use shades of red, we saw an opportunity to create greater distinction. To honor this legacy, we expanded the red palette to include darker hues, enhancing visual impact and allowing the brand to stand out more effectively. This ‘Red World’ is now applied consistently across AEG’s diverse product range and the stories they tell.

“The new VBI has been exceptionally well received across our markets, aligning strongly with our brand positioning and resonating clearly with our target audience. It’s setting us apart from the competition in a meaningful way, and early campaign results already show that the premium cues are coming through exactly as intended. Thank you for your partnership in shaping such a powerful strategic and creative foundation.”

Maria Sandström
Global AEG Senior Brand Manager

Characters

While it’s common to see people featured in appliance brand campaigns, they often lack depth or fall into clichés. We wanted to break away from this norm by carefully crafting characters that gave voice to the products and told their stories. Each character, individually styled, reflected AEG’s diverse consumer base and their desire to stand out and do things differently.

For example, a glamorous cat, playfully appearing in an ad for AEG’s robotic vacuum cleaner became a key muse for the brand’s expression, adding wit and personality. By connecting visual and verbal cues, we injected more humanity into a category often seen as dry, making the brand feel more relatable and engaging.

Impact

The refreshed identity successfully reinforces AEG’s premium positioning, establishing a bolder and progressive brand expression. This transformation has resonated strongly with consumers and been widely embraced by retail partners. The culmination of these efforts was marked by a major launch at IFA 2024 in Berlin, AEG’s original home, where the brand spotlighted its transformative cooking innovations. Alongside the unveiling of new kitchen products, a fresh sonic identity was introduced, delivering a comprehensive 360° brand experience that reflects AEG’s evolving vision and market leadership. 

“The distinctiveness of the VBI not only sets us apart from our competition but has successfully positioned us as a brand associated with a premium position. Stakeholders have responded positively, also including our important community of licensees as they receive stronger go-to-market collateral. Additionally, we now have a great platform to communicate our brand values, and especially within the design space as a thought leader and champion of sophisticated expression.”

Tom Astin
Global AEG Brand and Marketing Strategy Director

CASE STUDY

Cass

Building an iconic leader in the Korean beer category

Challenge

Cass has been the leader in the Korean beer market for nearly three decades. However, as consumer preferences change and new competitors enter the market, the Oriental Brewery (a subsidiary of AB InBev) leadership team recognized that the brand needed a holistic revamp to regain its leadership position. They turned to Prophet for help to chart a new path to growth for the brand and business. 

Solution

We first conducted a holistic diagnosis to understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to the Cass brand. To build a complete 360 view, a rigorous approach was taken — analysis of existing data, interviews with key stakeholders to gather perspectives and hypotheses around performance, best-practice benchmarking and primary research with Korean consumers to better understand their attitudes and behaviors towards the beer category and beer brands.

Findings from this diagnosis served as key inputs for our co-creation workshop, where a set of critical brand ‘must-wins’ was developed in collaboration with a cross-functional group of stakeholders. These ‘must-wins’ aimed to identify key areas for strengthening the brand, including communications, visual identity and brand activation. Must-win charters were then developed, assigning workstream owners, KPIs, and critical timelines.

As teams made progress, we created a cohesive consumer brand and product proposition that unified all key elements of the brand, leading to a successful launch of the Cass brand.

Once the new Cass was launched, we implemented a brand guardianship process. This ensured continued progress against the “must-wins” through a regular cadence of interactions. Brand guardianship helped uncover key gaps as well as new opportunities to drive growth for the brand. It provided valuable insights for leadership, helping them prioritize activities, investments, and resources. Overall, the guardianship process fostered discipline, accountability, and open dialogue around growth and performance.

Results

Cass currently holds the number one position in the Korean beer market, with a significant market share over its competitors. The brand must-wins became a cornerstone of Cass’ planning, and the brand achieved historic results across key metrics.

Impact

50+%

total market share reached

“Prophet’s partnership approach has made them feel like part of the Cass team from day one. They helped up navigate complexity with clarity, acting as a trusted co-pilot as we continue to reinforce Cass’ position as Korea’s leading beer.”

Alexander Lambrecht
Head of Marketing East Asia, AB InBev

CASE STUDY

Hanmac

Strengthening the portfolio through brand creation and innovation

Challenge

Oriental Brewery (a subsidiary of AB InBev) has held a dominant position in the Korean beer market for the past two decades. However, the emergence of new competitors reshaped category norms and elevated consumer expectations, the leadership team recognized that a secondary beer brand was needed in the portfolio to maintain market leadership and defend against growing competitive threats. AB InBev turned to Prophet to help create the beer brand – Hanmac.

Solution

Addressing this challenge required a deeply collaborative effort across brand, marketing, sales, consumer insights, innovation and R&D teams. We began by immersing in unique consumer, cultural, and category insights through a combination of in-depth internal reviews and external market analysis. We identified a unique space in the market – the desire for a Korean-style lager that honors traditional beer cues, celebrates Korean pride while delivering a more contemporary experience.

These learnings were brought into a co-creation workshop, where key stakeholders from across the business came together to review insights, prioritize brand territories, generate ideas, and develop brand concepts. A variety of new brand concepts were developed which included naming, positioning, liquid, claims and packaging; these were further tested with consumers.

After establishing the winning concept, we worked with AB InBev’s cross-functional teams, helping to craft the full proposition for Hanmac – from brand positioning and product development to advising on packaging design, testing protocols and go-to-market strategy. Once launched, Prophet continued to play brand guardian role to ensure that the Hanmac brand continued win share and experience growth in the market.

Results

Hanmac launched as AB InBev Korea’s second core beer brand and quickly gained traction in the market, ranking among the highest-performing concepts ever tested—a strong signal of consumer resonance in a competitive category. Hanmac is establishing a complementary proposition within the broader portfolio, delivering double-digit growth and strengthening its key brand image attributes.

The Hanmac launch has not only rebalanced the portfolio but also reaffirmed AB InBev’s ability to lead the market through portfolio strategy and innovation. 

“Prophet has been more than just a strategic partner—they’ve served as a guiding force in shaping a disciplined, fast-growing brand. Their collaborative spirit has helped us develop Hanmac the right way and position it for strong, sustained growth.”

Alexander Lambrecht
Head of Marketing East Asia, AB InBev

CASE STUDY

Institutional Investor

Rebranding a financial media voice to reclaim its community

Challenge

Institutional Investor has been an enduring and reputable voice in international finance for nearly 60 years. Beginning as an industry magazine, it organically diversified over the decades, building exclusive events and research components that complement its trusted editorial arm.  

But over time, this breadth diluted Institutional Investor’s distinguished brand with many distracting sub-brands, inconsistent brand executions, and a confusing product portfolio customers couldn’t easily untangle. This was made more complex by the Covid-19 pandemic, which required Institutional Investor to rapidly pivot its events business to the digital sphere and raised questions about the kind of experience and service they wanted to create for customers. 

Institutional Investor as a brand needed clarity and focus, not only to improve and unify the customer experience in the short term, but to capitalize on new opportunities and the next generation of customers and colleagues.  

Solutions

Institutional Investor partnered with Prophet to revitalize the brand, leveraging its strong legacy while respectfully updating it to prepare the publisher for its next stage of evolution.  

Crucial to this was modernizing the product portfolio to create a cohesive customer experience. The result was an architecture with three new pillars designed around real customer needs and outcomes rather than rigid barriers that isolated individual services or customer segments, all underpinned by a strong single master brand to drive the portfolio development.  

Working with the leadership team across the business, we then redefined the brand positioning to build a brand anchored in its respected heritage and prestigious global network, but one that also moves them forward into the next phase of growth: creating a community that shapes markets and the world.  

This speaks to Institutional Investor’s belief in the great power its community has to create positive impact when knowledge is shared and connections are made. This, in turn, creates value in people’s lives and helps make the world a more prosperous and secure place. 

To support the execution of this new positioning, we developed a brand-new visual identity—from logotype and monogram, through to color, typeface, imagery and illustration—all grounded in the principles of intelligence, intrigue and impact.  

“Institutional Investor is all about community — bringing people together to network, learn and share.  We feel privileged to foster communities across our global business. Having said that, we had become a siloed organization and our core USPs were getting lost. Prophet quickly understood our challenges and offered tools to get us back to our roots and our mission. We now have a cohesive brand, consistent across our global markets, and a playbook for future growth.”

Rip Reeves
Chief Executive Officer

“Prophet was thorough in understanding our business, its heritage and our vision for the future. They helped us reaffirm our identity and position in our market with positive repercussions both internally and externally. We now have a strong foundation for growth and a unique, bold visual identity that encapsulates who we were and who we aspire to be. Overall, it was an absolute pleasure working with Prophet. Their team has the industry’s top talent and we felt very safe in their hands. “

Mikaela Revel
Chief Marketing Officer

Results

When the brand refresh launched, the new direction had immediate effects on customer engagement. Compared to the previous year, within the first three to four months, there was a noticeable increase in performance: 

  • Email open rates increased by nearly 40%. 
  • Website visitors who scrolled through almost the entire page increased by more than 320%.  
  • Website visitors who clicked through to other pages increased by 265%.  

Armed with a comprehensive brand toolkit, Institutional Investor continues to significantly cut costs and boost brand sustainability. 

Reusable assets that can be easily adapted and applied to any scenario have improved autonomy and reduced design expenditure, while opening up new opportunities to establish brand presence on social media and in other digital spaces.  

The modern identity has enhanced employee collaboration and brand affinity and equipped Institutional Investor with renewed energy and full focus on the future. 

40%

Increase in email open rates

320%

Increase in website visitors who scrolled through almost the entire page

265%

Increase in website visitors who clicked through to other pages

CASE STUDY

20 Minuten

How 20 Minuten became Switzerland’s digital-first news brand

Challenge

Technology is transforming how people discover, engage and consume news. Since its launch in 1999 as a free daily commuter paper, 20 Minuten has grown into one of Switzerland’s most widely read and iconic news brands.

But as media habits evolved, the brand faced a critical challenge: regaining cultural relevance among young readers. For this audience, traditional outlets were regarded as credible news sources and social platforms dominated entertainment, leaving 20 Minuten caught in the middle. To secure long-term growth and relevance, the brand needed to redefine its role in a digitally led world.

Solution

20 Minuten partnered with Prophet to develop a transformation plan that resulted in a refreshed visual identity, new app and website. The relaunch marked the media company’s bold shift into a fully digital era, replacing its print edition.

The core challenge was to blend substance with entertainment. Gen Z values both high-quality journalism and engaging, relatable content, yet no media platform in Switzerland had successfully delivered both. Traditional outlets offered depth but often felt inaccessible or dry. Social media delivered fun and inspiration but was increasingly compromised by filter bubbles and misinformation.

Prophet set out to bridge this gap by delivering an integrated foundation that seamlessly combined news and entertainment. We called it “Your perfect content mix,” bringing together strategy and creative to define how the brand should think, speak and look: 

  • A clear audience focus and strategic foundation – identifying distinct target groups and defining purpose, promise and principles that united editorial, product and marketing around one vision.
  • A revitalized brand voice – developing a refreshed tone of voice that provides cultural relevance and personality.
  • A modern identity system – creating a new visual identity including logo, color palette, typography and design templates.
  • Creative direction and implementation support – ensuring the new identity translated seamlessly into product UX, campaign expression and guidelines.

Making it Move

With the brand adopting a digital-first approach, motion was always going to be at it’s heart. Giving the brand a way to behave on screen not just elevated the brand assets but gave 20 Minuten more dynamic and engaging ways to demonstrate their offer. 

“It was important to retain what was so iconic about the brand, but at the same time modernize
and provide an identity that amplified their unique variety and choice of content.”

Chris Benson
Associate Creative Director
Prophet

An Elevated National News Outlet

20 Minuten unveiled a major brand transformation that marked a new chapter for the platform. The launch signaled not only a refreshed look but a revitalized market presence that responded to the evolving preferences of media consumers across different generations.

Shortly after its launch, the app won Gold in the Customer Experience category of the Best of Swiss App Awards, gained third place in the Design and Business Impact category, as well as other noteworthy placements.

By partnering with Prophet, 20 Minuten has set itself apart as the modern, accessible, credible and entertaining news destination for Switzerland.

CASE STUDY

UBS

From integration to inspiration: how brand defined UBS’s new era

Challenge

When UBS acquired Credit Suisse in 2023, it marked the largest financial services merger in history and a pivotal moment for the industry. With over 100,000 employees and two storied institutions coming together, the challenge extended far beyond operational integration.  

UBS needed to define a new era of leadership and reintroduce itself to the world with clarity, unity and purpose. This was not simply about merging two entities; it was about reinventing the brand to drive long-term growth and cultural transformation. 

The merger represented a defining moment, an opportunity to redefine UBS’s identity on the global stage. The real potential lay not in integrating two legacy brands under one identity, but in leveraging brand as the engine behind cultural alignment, business transformation and long-term success. 

Solutions

To guide UBS through this pivotal transformation, it was essential to anchor the brand in a bold, unifying concept. The breakthrough came in the form of Craft – a refined and emotionally resonant idea that bridged UBS’s legacy with its leadership ambitions. It centered employees around a shared purpose while signaling clarity, confidence and innovation to the world. Craft also reinforced UBS’s reputation for trust and deep expertise, its commitment to long-standing client relationships and staying true to its Swiss heritage. 

Prophet worked closely with UBS across four core workstreams: 

  • Integration – Orchestrating the brand migration from Credit Suisse to UBS, from business cards and signage to dual-branded branches, ensuring clarity across more than 50 countries. 
  • Strategy – Refreshing UBS’s global brand positioning, divisional value propositions and employer brand.  
  • Transformation – Building a future-ready marketing function with combined teams, aligning global, divisional and local efforts around Prophet’s Uncommon Growth approach. 
  • Activation
    • Bringing “Banking is our Craft” to life, UBS’s first global brand campaign since 2016. Developed by Prophet and executed in partnership with Publicis, the campaign spotlighted UBS’s distinct values, reintroducing the brand to clients, prospects and investors worldwide.
    • We complemented this campaign with the UBS House of Craft experience platform, which features events in partnership with luxury brands such as Dior, IWC and Laurent Ferrier. And in parallel, developed the UBS Craftmakers series to showcase the stories, and craft, of high-profile figures including Formula One drivers and cultural icons Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, stylist June Ambrose, neon artist Chankalun and composer and maestro Long Yu.  

Results

UBS set out to reshape the industry through the largest merger in financial services history — and emerged stronger, with renewed purpose and momentum. Prophet partnered with UBS on a brand-led transformation powered by clarity of purpose and shared values, designed for long-term relevance. In 2025, UBS recognized this work with a Brand Excellence Award, marking another milestone in our 20+ year partnership driving operational success and Uncommon Growth. 

50

We successfully transitioned Credit Suisse brand assets across more than 50 countries

100K+

We defined a singular brand strategy that unites over 100,000 employees

2x

Our employer brand work was recently celebrated in two categories at the 2025 Employer Brand Management Awards in the Financial Services Sector and following a Merger or Acquisition

165M+

We launched UBS’s first unified global brand campaign, reaching over 165 million people in the first wave

“Craft isn’t just a theme — it’s the thread that connects everything we do. From Craftmakers to UBS House of Craft and Adventures in Craft, it all reflects one belief: excellence lives in the details.

For us, craft is how we build trust, spark ideas and show the world who UBS is.“


Andres Nicholls

Chief Creative Officer
Prophet

UBS House of Craft x Dior 

UBS House of Craft is a global platform that reimagines how UBS connects through culture, creativity and craft. In partnership with Dior, recent events in New York and Singapore celebrated the art of haute couture through an exclusive photo exhibition curated by Carine Roitfeld and Brigitte Niedermair, rare Dior couture pieces, a series of public talks by industry icons and live craft demonstrations from Dior Atelier artisans. 
 
Aligning Dior’s legacy of reinvention with UBS’s commitment to excellence, the collaboration created rare experiences for clients and sparked meaningful dialogue around the value of craft. 

UBS House of Craft presents Icons of Time 

An experiential exhibition celebrating the craft of watchmaking, created with Hodinkee and curated by founder Ben Clymer. Bringing together the world’s leading brands for the first time, the showcase highlighted innovation, excellence and craftsmanship through live demonstrations and talks from renowned watchmakers and collectors, inviting guests to discover the stories and innovations that have shaped modern horology. 

Result

UBS House of Craft has delivered both brand and business impact, reinforcing UBS’ position as a modern luxury leader and transforming how the brand shows up in the world.

100M

UBS House of Craft content has reached hundreds of millions of people on social media 

10K+

UBS House of Craft has attracted over 10,000 guests in 2025 alone, with events in 10 different cities

1000+

It has been covered in more than 1000 articles, on front pages and in media pick-ups in 2025 

UBS Craftmakers

We launched UBS Craftmakers, a content series sharing authentic stories from masters of craft and well as rising talent. Crafted in feel, UBS Craftmakers takes you deep into the mindset, rituals and ambition of these iconic individuals — from F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton, to pioneering neon artist Chanklaun, award-winning costume designer June Ambrose and renowned Chinese conductor and artistic director Long Yu. 

Result

UBS Craftmakers has been some of the best performing content UBS has ever launched — with Lewis Hamilton’s film generating over 550,000 video views within 48 hours and 6.6 million social impressions. A recent episode featuring fashion designer Guo Pei and porcelain maker Master Tan won two Silver Dolphins at the Cannes Corporate Awards for its craftsmanship, vision and storytelling.

10M

Impressions for Craftmaker films on social media

550K

Lewis Hamilton’s Craftmaker film achieved over 550,000 video views within 48 hours

25X

George Russell’s Craftmaker film had 25x more views than any previous UBS Instagram reel

2

A recent episode featuring fashion designer Guo Pei and porcelain maker Master Tan won two Silver Dolphins at the Cannes Corporate Awards

CASE STUDY

Kalmar

How Kalmar rebranded into a sustainable logistics forerunner

Challenge

Kalmar belonged to the Cargotec Corporation of logistics businesses, recognized within the industry for their distinctive red color scheme and elephant symbol.  

The Cargotec family had grown through acquisition and followed a branded house strategy for the main brands within their portfolio: Cargotec, the holding company, and Kalmar, Hiab and MacGregor. 

Following Cargotec’s decision to separate its core businesses, Kalmar and Hiab, into two standalone companies, Kalmar took the initiative to create a unique brand positioning, architecture and visual identity to support its future position as an independent, stock-listed company and brand. Prophet was selected as Kalmar’s partner to support this work. 

Solution

We followed a three-stage process to refresh the Kalmar brand. First, we defined the brand positioning, building from elements that have always been true to the Kalmar brand, along with new elements that reflected the direction they were taking as a partner to their customers. 

As a heavy logistics business, they played a crucial role helping their customers decarbonize their own operations. Thus, the existing customer promise around the idea of “Making every move count” became a central starting point for the new brand promise. 

From here, we defined differentiating brand principles, which formed the foundation upon which brand messaging and activation was built. 

A Brand New Identity

After exploring possible concepts , we landed on an identity ‘bonds of progress’, which represented how Kalmar plays a key part of the global supply chain and is the forerunner in sustainable material handling equipment and services. The bubble-like visualizations also communicate action, progress and collaboration, which are key elements of Kalmar’s brand positioning.  

The new visual identity consisted of a new logo, color palette, typography and the ‘bonds of progress’ visualizations. The color palette retains the iconic Kalmar red while introducing new complementary colors to enhance versatility and vibrancy. The new logo consists of two elements: the refined ‘K’ symbol and the Kalmar wordmark.  

Honoring Kalmar’s heritage of reliability, innovation and quality, the iconic Kalmar ‘K’ has been brought back with a fresh, modern shape that feels dynamic and expressive, yet still familiar. This refinement ensures the logo remains strong and distinctive, making Kalmar a recognizable and forward-looking brand. 

“People have reacted very positively to our new branding, and it has helped us to set the foundation for our future growth.” 

Carina Geber-Teir
SVP, Communications,
Investor Relations and Marketing,
Kalmar

Activating the Brand

 
We built an activation plan to bring the new Kalmar brand to market, both internally and externally. This plan outlined how the updated brand could be launched to deliver the most impact, telling the story of the new brand through a phased, multichannel campaign. 

We divided the launch activities into ‘foundational’ and ‘signature’ categories. Foundational activities were things that must be done to support the brand transition to help both internal and external audiences navigate the changes, such as explainer materials and office signage updates. Signature activities were high-impact ideas to tell the brand story through key moments of connection with each audience group, such as events and branded videos. 

Results and Impact

The refreshed brand positioning and visual identity were met with a strong positive reaction from both internal and external Kalmar stakeholders. 

The launch of the brand led to an all-time high in new visitors to the Kalmar website and an all-time high for impressions on their social media channels.  

CASE STUDY

HRS Group

Making HRS Europe’s travel portal for stay, work and pay

Challenge

HRS’s roots stem from consumer travel. As a leading hotel portal in Germany and one of the top three in Europe, the iconic “Red Bed” has been synonymous for many years with great hotel deals. Aside from this, HRS built its name by catering to the evolving needs of the business-to-business (B2B) enterprise travel market, including being an early mover to offer travel management services for companies relocating their employees around the world. This enabled new revenue streams beyond sourcing hotel deals, including securing meeting spaces and supporting payment processes. HRS’s approach has always been to actively embrace technology, ensuring customers can conveniently access and manage their travel needs, from accommodation to meetings, through one seamless platform. 

Although these new services led to growth, the travel market was significantly affected during the COVID era. HRS took this opportunity to reflect on their business and brand, and to develop a new positioning that more effectively captures the vision and spirit of their organization. 

HRS approached Prophet to refresh the brand for their enterprise business and signal a new direction and focus. The company also wanted to demonstrate how it had transformed the travel management industry.

Solutions

We started by collaborating with the company’s leadership and brand team to define a compelling brand positioning and brand architecture. We shifted away from the existing positioning that focused on the technical aspects of the platform and instead, centered on simplicity and impact, outlining the benefits HRS delivers: ‘Stay, Work and Pay’.

Our work extended across the portfolio of HRS brands. We refreshed the brand and identity with the consumer arm, HRS for Travelers, and aligned it with the enterprise business. With Destination Solutions, the company’s holiday rental business, we sharpened the brand positioning and updated the visual identity. For HRS Group, the master brand, we carved out a clearer Employee Value Proposition and updated its visual identity. These projects led to updating the website design and the development of new marketing materials. 

Through this work, the principles of simplicity and impact became a connecting thread, uniting the organization in vision, expression and personality.


HRS for Enterprises

HRS is unique for its entrepreneurial spirit, and the 50-year-old company is known for thinking big, challenging the status quo, and urging the industry to do better. It’s this spirit that sets HRS apart from the competition. We reflected that commitment through a simple, straightforward tone of voice, with typography to match. 

Using HRS for Enterprise is easy for customers, helping large companies make data-driven decisions while choosing from the broadest range of places to stay and work around the globe. Powered by HRS’ payment solutions and tailored to client goals, HRS is pioneering a better way for business travel.

The new brand identity reflects the ease of use and bold positioning, highlighting HRS’s energy, simplicity and tech focus. The visual identity matches HRS’ new confidence, breaking through the crowded B2B travel industry. We also developed an updated Employee Value Proposition, to communicate the HRS story to employees and potential hires.

“Our transformation into a global technology platform did not start with products alone—it began with how we positioned ourselves. Establishing a strong narrative and a unified brand gave us the credibility and clarity to engage Fortune 500 clients at a new level.”

Tobias Ragge
CEO, HRS 

HRS for Travelers

Today, people know the importance of human connection and destination experience. The modern traveler wants a hassle-free way to stay, work and pay. We defined a photographic style that captures where business meets leisure.

The original brand identity still carried a lot of recognition in Germany, Austria and Switzerland but it needed to reframe the company’s tech story to appeal to consumers.

“The brand transformation project was about creating more than a new look—it was about building the base for scalable growth. By aligning brand, go-to-market, and sales from the start, we ensured that every future innovation had a clear story and a receptive market. That groundwork enabled the next chapters of adoption and expansion.”

Tobias Bittner
Vice President Marketing, HRS 

Destination Solutions for Holiday Rentals

Destination Solutions, HRS’ B2B holiday rental platform, creates a smarter way for hosts and property managers to maximize the performance of their rentals.

We helped define the brand positioning and crafted a new visual identity, highlighting how Destination Solutions helps its customers make hosting simple through a clean color palette and signature designs. 

HRS Group

We reimagined the identity of HRS Group, the umbrella brand uniting its diverse divisions. Grounded in the core principles of simplicity and impact, we ensured these values seamlessly connected every element of the brand. They are brought to life through the logo, typeface and color system. 

This consistent thread, woven through each positioning and identity initiative, creates cohesion across the organization’s vision, presence and essence. 

Results

HRS had a bold vision and were clear from the outset about their ambitions. Our partnership with HRS has reshaped how the company shows up in the market across their business, signaling a new direction and focus. From the narrative shared with customers and employees, to the way the brand is expressed through the website, social channels and events, HRS now communicates with greater clarity and consistency.

Building on this momentum, HRS continues to experience remarkable progress and expansion. Through this ongoing collaboration, we ensure HRS is equipped to sustain and accelerate Uncommon Growth. 

CASE STUDY

MB Bank

Customer-Centric Innovation: MB Bank’s Journey in Creating Personalized Experiences

Challenge

Since 2018, Prophet has partnered with MB Bank on its transformation into a digital-first, customer-centric global bank. Following a brand refresh, MB Bank has embarked on a series of growth initiatives across its brand, marketing, digital and retail experiences, helping it reach over 30 million customers and more than 300,000 corporate clients. Named Vietnam’s most valuable brand by Brand Finance, MB Bank’s digital banking experience now leads the market.   

Building on the success of its digital banking app since its launch in early 2020, MB Bank strived for greater differentiation across its private and mass retail segments. To help achieve their ambition, Prophet partnered with MB Bank to collaboratively develop two personalized digital experiences for these target segments. 

Through PlayStudio sessions with MB Bank’s key stakeholders, we developed a compelling Customer Experience (CX) vision and principles, initial transformation ideas as well as a design direction that guided the development of a new experiential retail design, signature touchpoints and experience transformation. 

Our work culminated in the development of signature experiences and the creation of a new auto-banking concept—the MB SmartBank. With the signature CX moves and designs developed, the final step was to conduct an in-market pilot. We developed execution plans to guide the roll-out and necessary changes in the day-to-day operations. To empower change, we also developed KPIs to measure success, along with staff workflows and detailed job descriptions for the transformed roles in the retail branch and MB SmartBank. 

Solutions

To develop distinctively personalized experiences, our team first conducted extensive customer research to identify two key target segments:  

  1. MB Private: High net worth individuals who are more focused on wealth management and lifestyle needs
  2. MB Mass Retail: Mass customers who are largely digitally savvy Millennials and Gen Z with general banking needs  

We then mapped out the current customer journeys to uncover key pain points and opportunities across both physical and digital engagements. By analyzing the current customer experiences, we diagnosed loopholes and fragmented pieces within the existing user journeys that needed to be augmented.   

We explored industry trends and best practices from traditional banks and fintechs to pinpoint and define standout features tailored to each of MB Bank’s customer segments—such as wealth portfolio overviews, personalized spending insights, gold investing, and gamified loyalty programs. With these, we developed a clear UX-led information architecture (also known as the sitemap) and prioritized high-impact signature features. We then moved into an agile design process, rapidly iterating User Interface (UI) designs with continuous feedback from product owners to ensure a seamless, future-ready experience. 

Impact

+10M

Android app downloads as of 2025

32M

App users as of 2025

#2

Most downloaded app in Vietnam (2024)

Two Segments, Two Design Languages  

By combining strategic foresight with master-brand precision, we translated distinct customer needs into two UI design languages. For the private segment, we created a luxurious, confidence-driven interface featuring brass metallics, refined typographic-usage from the master brand, and purposeful negative space for accessibility—all embodying exclusivity and bespoke services. For the mass retail segment, we developed a vibrant, tech-forward system with fluid gradients inspired by the master brand palette.    

Strategy in Every Pixel  

This system uses bold sans-serif fonts and dynamic micro-interactions to enhance accessibility and loyalty engagement through educational and gamified features. Our strategic design process ensured that every UI component, from data visualization to navigation, aligns with each segment’s financial behaviors. As a result, we delivered two scalable design systems where strategic intent and brand authenticity live in every pixel. 

Best-in-Class Banking Experience for All

Prophet helped MB Bank launch two distinct digital app experiences—each designed to meet the unique needs of its Private and Mass Retail segments in design, features, and user experience.  

The MB Private app successfully launched in June 2023, giving the bank a first-mover advantage over competing banks for Vietnam’s private customers. The enhanced Mass Retail experience followed later that year, offering a refreshed, digital-first journey for a broader experience.  

The partnership continues as Prophet supports MB Bank in elevating its digital platforms to deliver best-in-class experiences for all MB Bank customers. 

CASE STUDY

MB Bank

Creating a Digital Banking Powerhouse

Background

MB Bank wanted to triple its customers. And as new competitors crowded into the Vietnamese banking market, the 25-year-old company knew it needed a clearer identity, a fresher look and the ability to engage increasingly digital customers. Its goal was to become one of the three largest banks in Vietnam, providing the best customer experience in the category.

Approach

Prophet wanted to help MB move from early-stage transformation, with investments in the pilot stage, to true digital integration.   

We developed a multi-year strategy and growth plan, which included identifying and segmenting target customers, developing growth moves, running user experience sprints, and supporting a new innovation lab.  

After identifying the three customer segments most likely to drive growth. We then dove deep into the needs of MB’s customers, developing a series of transformative growth moves to attract these new audiences. With a clarified value proposition, we:

  • Reimagined its digital banking app
  • Designed a simple, powerful and accessible referral program
  • Launched a first-in-market family banking offer

Impact

With Prophet’s support, MB has transformed into a modern bank. It’s become intentionally disruptive. Digital thinking is now native in its people, processes and technology in every business unit, helping it gain advantages over both conventional and fintech competitors. Its digital-first and customer-centric offers have helped it add over 30 million new customers, propelling the organization into a new era of growth. The updated app became the #2 most downloaded in Vietnam.

#1

Most Valuable Brand in Vietnam within two years of digital transformation

1 in 2

Adults use an MB account

32m

App users as of 2025

#2

Most downloaded app in Vietnam (2024)

“We are delighted to have a trusted strategic partner in Prophet, and they have played a crucial role in our very important transformation journey. We are very proud of our modern look and feel. We evolve towards becoming a digital-first bank, and it has been very well received in the market.” 

Mr. Thai
Chairman of the Board of Directors of MB Bank

BRAND TRANSFORMATION

Creating and Launching a New Brand to Tell MB’s Transformation Story

SEE OUR WORK

RETAIL BANKING

Redefining Retail Banking: MB Bank’s Journey to a Digital-First Future

SEE OUR WORK

CUSTOMER CENTRIC INNOVATION

Customer-Centric Innovation: MB Bank’s Journey in Creating Personalized Experiences

SEE OUR WORK

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