Banco do Merkado
Moza Banco
Brand Identity
Graphic Design
Activation
2014
We were presented with a stimulating challenge: Moza, one of the main bank players in Mozambique, wanted to help harness the economy around informal street markets, where money security was not guaranteed, to the traditional banking network. However, in the face of a population that is still wary of traditional institutions, how could we do it in a natural and organic way?
We decided to enter the universe of informal markets and see how money was traded, stored and saved in these vibrant alternative spaces. If there is something we are sure of, is that it isn’t possible to transform a reality without knowing it. We have drawn our inspiration from the colours, the sounds and the sheer energy we found. And we established Proximity, Trust and Access as the essential core values to the project.
So Banco do Merkado was born, a new independent and autonomous brand, that was sustainable within the universe of Moza Banco. The colourful imagery of fruits, clothes, “capulanas” and the influence of the mother-brand led us to our brand and signature: simple, direct, without subtleties, but also without condescension.
Banco do Merkado: the bank closest to you.
Our point of departure was the main brand colour of Moza Banco. With that dark red hue in mind, we created a logo inspired by the sun, evoking the morning and the day, the time when these markets are most active. Multiplying this element and adding others, we created a branded “capulana” pattern, which became our background image. This intuitive visual and verbal universe was able to represent accessibility and to convey a subtle message: here is the place where we all speak the same language.
To enhance the bank’s "no-fuss" approach and bring it closer to market users and sellers, we decorated specially adapted containers with our branded patterns, turning them into mobile bank branches. Equipped with ATMs, a counter and a clerk to help and provide simple operations, our branches became the talk of the market. Our main message became clear with the help of event hostesses and assistants: this was an easy way to seek and have monetary protection, permanent availability and total security.
Each container became a branch, with a correspondent name to that of the informal market in which it operated. On a note that fills us with pride, to this day, this project continues to be implemented throughout the country's capital.
