Bank Zachodni WBK — Rebranding to Santander integration
Bank Zachodni WBK — one of Poland’s largest banks, formed from the merger of Bank Zachodni and Wielkopolski Bank Kredytowy. In 2013, the bank was incorporated into the Santander Group, creating the need for brand integration while maintaining local market presence.
The identity system designed in 2001 for the bank merger was intended as transitional but was never replaced. Following BZ WBK’s incorporation into the Santander Group in 2013, the identity needed revitalization and adaptation. The conjunction of marks was difficult due to the coexistence of two emblems — the BZ acronym and the Santander emblem — complicated further by the difficult-to-reconcile green-red color scheme.
We developed image assumptions and a concept for the BZ WBK brand mark evolution, creating a conjunction of the BZ WBK and Santander brand marks, a complete visual system design, brand mark application methods for promotion, and a comprehensive Brand Guide. The refreshed BZ WBK brand mark eliminated the BZ acronym to remove visual competition with the Santander emblem. The group standard gained a Polish-language version for domestic audiences, and mandatory identification colors were separated by a white line to prevent unfavorable direct color juxtaposition. The designs were implemented immediately after approval and clearly communicated a new development stage for the Bank.
