Case Study: INN8 – Purpose Built. Adviser Inspired.

Client Overview

INN8 is a purpose-built modern investment platform designed to empower financial advisers and their clients. It wasn’t created to follow industry norms—it was built to challenge them. To succeed, INN8 needed to do more than launch a product; it had to deeply connect with advisers, reflecting their needs, aspirations, and the value they bring to their clients every day.

The Challenge

The journey began with a big question: could INN8 launch as part of its parent company, STANLIB, or as an insurance brand? The research gave us a resounding answer: no. Advisers made it clear that for INN8 to succeed, it couldn’t carry the weight of legacy perceptions. It needed to be something entirely new—crafted specifically for advisers, by truly understanding their world.

Our Approach

From the start, we set out to create a brand that was  Adviser Inspired and  Purpose Built. This was more than a tagline—it was the guiding principle behind every decision we made.

Research and Insights

Our work started with listening. Through conversations with advisers, leadership, and internal teams, we uncovered what advisers truly needed: a brand that simplified their work, recognised their value, and helped them grow. Competitive analysis and benchmarking reinforced the need for differentiation, and trend analysis highlighted the importance of a fresh, forward-thinking approach.

Brand Strategy

INN8’s purpose became crystal clear: to empower advisers with solutions tailored to their needs. The strategy was built around three core values: innovation, independence, and partnership. These values ensured INN8 stood as a trusted, forward-thinking partner dedicated to making advisers’ lives easier and more impactful.

Positioning Strategy 

INN8’s positioning as Adviser Inspired, Purpose Built reflected its unique value. We positioned the brand as a challenger—breaking away from the past to create a future focused on advisers. By placing advisers at the centre of everything, INN8 became a brand they could trust, relate to, and champion.

Marketing Strategy

Bringing the brand to life meant delivering on its promise across all touchpoints. We developed a voice that spoke directly to advisers with authenticity and respect. The visual identity combined bold innovation with simplicity, mirroring the platform’s purpose. Marketing spanned digital campaigns, events, and thought leadership, each crafted to engage advisers and position INN8 as their partner of choice.

Execution

• Every element of INN8’s identity was designed with advisers in mind:
• A logo and design system that reflected modernity and innovation.
• Marketing materials that told a story of simplicity, partnership, and empowerment.
• A website experience that was intuitive and engaging, just like the platform itself.

Results

The result was a brand that advisers not only noticed but embraced. INN8 launched as a completely independent, purpose-built entity, gaining instant credibility and trust in the market. Advisers recognised it as a brand that truly understood them—because it was built with their input and for their success.

Conclusion

For us, INN8 wasn’t just a project—it was personal. Crafting a brand that was Adviser Inspired, Purpose Built meant truly listening to advisers and creating something that reflected their world. The result wasn’t just a brand; it was a partnership, and that’s the kind of impact we strive for in everything we do.