BBVA initiated its new brand strategy and updated logo originally announced in April, beginning the process of replacing tens of thousands of physical logos — and thousands more digital ones — with the bank’s new mark. In the U.S., crown signage on high rise buildings in Birmingham, Ala., Denver, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston unveiled the new logo today, along with four branch locations.
Remaining locations will transition to the new brand in the coming months.
While the new brand retains the bank’s familiar blue color palette and capital letters, it has been specifically redesigned for the increasingly digital world. The updated mark will support BBVA’s wider transformation from a bank to a global digital bank powered by technology and data, while reinforcing the bank’s values including “We are one team.”
“Having employees across the globe working under a single brand identity makes it very clear that we are indeed one team,” said BBVA USA President and CEO Javier Rodríguez Soler. “It also underscores for all of us the importance of our commitment to provide our customers with global products and services, the best user experience, and the solutions that help our customers make the best decisions in their lives and in their businesses.”
The move to a unified brand across the bank’s 30-plus core countries also signals BBVA’s evolving approach to delivering products and services. Working collaboratively across all country units, the bank will tap into the best expertise from across its global organization to build products once and deliver the same quality to all countries in the footprint.
“Over time, we expect that our customers will see increasing benefits of being part of a global bank,” said Rodríguez Soler. “BBVA uses a Single Development Agenda to focus on key global initiatives, which allows us to build products and services using best in class techniques, insights and expertise for one-time global deployment.” Rodríguez Soler added that this agenda is closer to the operating structure of technology companies who develop their products and services with a worldwide mindset rather than being siloed in separate countries.
BBVA heavily involved its employees and customers in the logo change and the direction of the brand, seeking opinions from almost 4,800 consumers during the development stage.
While the change in brand and logo itself is complex, the reality of delivering on the planned transformation within a six- to twelve-month timeframe is even more so. BBVA has more than 8,000 offices and branches worldwide, all of which have multiple logos both inside and out.
“Logistically, this is a huge undertaking, but absolutely worth the effort,” said Rodríguez Soler. “This monumental change that begins today signifies the future direction of BBVA. It’s about unifying the way our clients see us at a global level. No matter which country you are in, BBVA now looks, feels and sounds the same. It’s a visual representation of our commitment to deliver the same world-leading products and services to everyone, no matter where they live.”
“The brand change also signifies our focus on digital, on our goal to make everything we offer available on any digital channel our customers may choose,” Rodríguez Soler said. “That’s not to say physical presence will be diminished. That personal contact remains a key part of our service commitment to our local communities, but our new mark underscores the critical importance of our digital future.”
BBVA Group CEO Onur Genç told the business’ 125,000 employees that “There are clear benefits to this change. The first benefit is about continuing to build digital capabilities – but what does this mean? We have this vision: we have to move as a bank, from an infrastructure provider around money to a global digital financial advisor.”
Global Branding Campaign Launches
BBVA’s brand change implementation will be marked by the launch of a global digital advertising campaign, which will include 30- and 60-second videos on Hulu and YouTube. Shorter versions of the video will also be featured on Facebook and Instagram, along with static ads on both platforms.
The campaign, created by the bank’s internal agency, BBVA Creative, along with DDB Spain, will run in all countries where BBVA has a presence. The campaign will be localized for individual countries.
“While our new brand demonstrates BBVA’s commitment to our digital transformation, I see it as an evolution,” said Rodríguez Soler. “It is the next logical step as part of our long-term dedication to meeting our customers where they are, with the products and services they need, to participate fully in their own financial future.