Redefining Trust in Digital Finance

Overview

Meridian Capital approached us during a pivotal moment. After five years of steady growth, they needed a brand that could compete with established financial institutions while maintaining the agility that made them successful.

The challenge wasn’t just visual—it was strategic. How do you communicate trust and innovation simultaneously? How do you appeal to both enterprise clients and individual investors?

The Challenge

Meridian’s existing brand was functional but forgettable. Their website converted at industry-average rates, but leadership knew they were leaving money on the table. Competitor analysis revealed a sea of sameness: blue logos, stock photography of handshakes, and generic messaging about “solutions.”

Key problems identified:

• Brand confusion with three competitors using similar names
• Website bounce rate 15% above industry average
• Sales team reporting that prospects couldn’t articulate the value proposition
• Mobile experience was an afterthought

Our Approach

We began with a two-week discovery phase, interviewing stakeholders, customers, and prospects. The insight that unlocked everything: Meridian’s clients valued clarity above all else. In an industry built on complexity, simplicity was the differentiator.

Brand Strategy

We positioned Meridian as “The Clear Choice in Capital”—not through claims, but through every touchpoint. This meant:

• Stripping jargon from all communications
• Creating visual systems that explained complex products simply
• Designing interfaces that reduced cognitive load

Visual Identity

The new identity centers on a geometric “M” that suggests both growth (upward trajectory) and stability (solid foundation). We chose a restrained color palette—deep navy as primary, with a distinctive copper accent that stands out in a sea of blue.

Typography plays a crucial role: we paired a humanist sans-serif for body copy (approachable) with a refined serif for headlines (trustworthy).

Website Design & Development

The website was rebuilt from the ground up on a modern Jamstack architecture. Key decisions:

• Reduced homepage content by 60%, focusing on one clear CTA
• Implemented progressive disclosure for complex product information
• Built a custom calculator tool that became their top lead generator
• Achieved 98 Lighthouse performance score

The Outcome

The results exceeded expectations:

• +32% conversion rate on primary CTA within 90 days
• -48% bounce rate on key landing pages
• 2.3x increase in qualified leads from website
• 40% reduction in sales cycle length (prospects arrived better informed)

Beyond metrics, Meridian’s team reported that the new brand gave them confidence. Sales conversations shifted from explaining who they are to discussing how they can help.

“Studio Minimal didn’t just give us a new look—they gave us clarity about who we are. That clarity shows in everything we do now.”

— Sarah Chen, CMO, Meridian Capital

Lessons Learned

This project reinforced our belief that brand work is strategy work. The visual identity matters, but only insofar as it communicates a clear, differentiated position. For Meridian, that meant embracing restraint—saying less, but meaning more.