ME (formally known as ME Bank) has this month pulled back the curtain and revealed a modernised visual brand identity and renewed approach to product innovation to support the ongoing growth of the Bank.
Major changes include a contemporary black-and-white logo boosted by clean and colourful imagery and an official name change that embraces how the majority of customers were instinctively referencing the Bank – i.e. ‘ME’, pronounced like the pronoun ‘me’.
The Bank’s name change has also been extended to it tagline – ‘make the most of ME’ – combining the duality of ‘me’ as a person, and ‘ME’ as a bank.
ME Brand and Digital Director, Ingrid Purcell said ME’s brand refresh has carried through to the Bank’s design of products and services for customers.
“Our belief is that banking has been made too complicated and complex – customers want to get ahead and want a bank that helps them achieve this simply and easily in a digital world − that’s our aim.”
ME will roll out a suite of new and simple products and customer experiences gradually, beginning with launch of a low-rate credit card called frank, the epitome of simplicity. frank has no surprises and boasts a low interest rate on purchases and cash advances.
The bank has also introduced a basic home loan to its collection of clear and easy to understand home loans; and a refreshed mobile app available late May, creating a more intuitive, simplified experience for customers banking on-the-go.
“This isn't just a tagline; it's an extensive inside-out rebrand building on our 21-year proud heritage of helping people get ahead, reinforced by modernised internal values, customer promises and a $90 million dollar investment in technology,” added Purcell.
“With both our brand refresh and technology transformation close to completion, ME is well positioned to stand out as a true challenger in the digital age. This will see us roll out more compelling products and experiences more quickly in the future.”
Purcell said ME will be working hard behind the scenes to change over the brand in full in the next few months.
“While customers are only just starting to absorb the new brand reveal, initial customer reaction is in line with research and testing with the majority stating that it reflects a modern, digitally-savvy and secure bank,” she said.
Last August, ME opened up access to its discounted home loan rates to all Australians and removed the requirement to be a member of a union or industry super fund.