Bancolombia’s vice president of marketing and sales talks about the company’s image change, the meaning of its new colors, and the professional challenges she faced while leading this process.
What was it like for you to be the woman at the helm of this makeover?
Part of my responsibility is the brand. Understanding the market, people and how we are moving today as normal users, the need arose to think about an evolution of the image of the brand, a new way of expressing that essence and that identity that has been evolving internally and it is becoming closer to people, to realities, but above all to building a better future.
How did the proposal to make changes to the brand image come about?
The proposal was born with us wanting to be generators of well-being for all through sustained economic development … and that purpose generated specific actions. When you begin to understand that internally you are evolving and changing things to be better, but also that the market is moving very fast and there are many changes in people, you have to join all the points and understand that brands have to go to that pace and stay one step ahead of your customers’ expectations in order to deliver more value to them.
What other experiences have you had in your professional field?
I have more than 19 years of experience in corporate social responsibility, communications and customer service processes and today I am working on the construction of a new marketing mindset, focusing on the growth of financial results and social impact. In addition, I had the opportunity to work at BBVA and it was a very valuable experience in terms of digital sales, marketing and brand strategy. I often say that marketing is not a cost, but rather an investment in creating a connection between customers and organizations.
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What does Bancolombia seek to achieve with these changes?
What we were looking for with this rebranding process was to allow us to unify the four countries: Colombia, Panama, Guatemala and El Salvador, in a single identity. That’s what we did.
What meaning do the colors have in this new makeover?
Black and white, which are timeless colors, allow us to combine a logo that has greater versatility, that can last longer and that in the end becomes a commitment to sustainability, because when we apply it to stationery, we are friendlier with the environment by printing with a single ink. The other colors seek to symbolize the ideals, emotions and diversity of people.
How was the process to choose these colors?
This evolution has three pillars: the first is who we are, our culture. The second is what we do, our determination and desire to deliver better solutions. And the third, in what we believe, our purpose to generate well-being. Understanding these three pillars, this proposal arose, which also allows us to have a better arrival and execution in the digital world.
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What is the specific goal of this change for the company?
Our identity has an important part in the colors, but additionally, in maintaining our isotype, which has been a symbol that has represented us and that people recognize from us. It is now on the left side to give the logo greater readability, but also as a symbol of our experience and what we want to be. This is coupled with a typeface that has been designed especially for us and that allows us to give our writings greater strength and personality.
How does the change of image influence such an established brand?
It was not a drastic change, so our name remains and the evolution in the logo is quite subtle. What we are doing is recovering the elements of our experience and everything we have done, to unite them with all the emotion that exists in this future that we want to build.
What was the biggest professional challenge to carry out this evolution?
This project had many challenges. We had the mission of integrating the culture of four countries and that we were all identified with the change we were making. But besides that, I think the biggest challenge was understanding what was happening at all times. This project began to take shape a year and nine months ago, and since we began we have witnessed many changes, including the pandemic, which has kept us in virtual work, and much of this project was done that way. That was also a great challenge.
