Picton Investments: Full Rebrand
Build from the Bear Up
Project Overview
The Before
The Ask
Picton Investments wanted to stand out in a crowded financial services landscape dominated by the same blues, greens, serif fonts, and stock photos of bridges.
A new CMO set out to change the brand’s trajectory with an identity and campaign that would both differentiate the business and be worthy of award‑winning work, and they asked for our help to achieve this.
The Approach
We realized the real barrier wasn’t Picton’s performance, it was the category itself. “Alternative investments” sounded risky, distant, and hard to trust, especially for people who’d lived through market downturns. The language and visuals of the space were working against them before they could even make their case.
Instead of trying to soften the idea of risk, we reframed it as the smartest place to start. “Built from the Bear Up” takes the symbol of fear in the market and turns it into proof that Picton doesn’t hide from volatility—they plan for it, build around it, and use it to protect investors over the long term.
The After
How we got there
Once we had the platform, we built the system around it. We defined the design language, messaging house, and channel roles, then mapped where the idea would show up—from brand identity to launch moments and ongoing communications—so it felt cohesive across every touchpoint.
4.
Design System & Go-to-Market:
Connecting identity, messaging and channels
Working closely with the creative team, we explored multiple ways to bring that shift to life. Each route took a different angle on risk, resilience, and confidence, but all laddered back to the same strategic core.
3.
Creative Concepts:
Turning the brief into distinct creative territories
From there, I translated those findings into a sharp, inspiring brief. It clarified the role of the brand, the mindset shift we needed to create, and the creative territory worth pushing into, so everyone was solving the same problem in the same direction.
2.
Creative Brief:
Translating insights into an inspiring brief
Start with a deep dive into the alternative investments space, pulling apart the category, competitors, clients, and culture. The goal was to understand not just how “alternative” was being sold, but how it was being felt—and where the story was breaking down.
1.
Discovery & Positioning:
Understanding the category to find the whitespace
Success in Action
A new era for alternative investments
The launch didn’t just change the look of the brand, it changed how people felt about it. Clients and partners were energized, leaning into the bear with a sense of fun and renewed conviction in what “alternative” could mean.
The idea showed up everywhere: a larger‑than‑life bear statue in the middle of Bay Street, a TMX market open, and press coverage that signaled a new era for alternative investments. And as a bonus, the work delivered on a key personal goal too, helping the CMO earn the industry recognition she had been aiming for (and quite frankly earned with her willingness to take a risk, no pun intended).
“ This is more than a new brand name or logo. It reflects who we’ve become and where we’re headed — all anchored in our new brand purpose: Build from the Bear Up.
We're proud of what we built, and we didn't do it alone. To everyone that has supported us, and believed in the power of alternatives: thank you. You've helped shape who we are and what's next."
David Picton
President & CEO
"It became real because our leadership, sales, and investment teams stood behind it — and because our marketing team and agency partners at Monks rallied behind it with everything they had"
Leisha Roche
Chief Marketing Officer