Corporate identity of Credit Bank

Information leaflet from 1972 to showcase and promote the new corporate identity of Credit Bank.  

Material includes the front cover featuring Credit Bank’s new logo, along with two-page presentations of the bank’s new profile and services. 

A new logo for a new era 

In the extraordinary General Meeting of shareholders in September 1972, it was announced that Commercial Credit Bank would be renamed Credit Bank. The use of a new logo was also announced.  

The new logo was inspired from the type on the reverse of the silver stater of Aegina (480-456 BCE), the first city-state in the Greek world to mint its own coins.  

Together, the new name and logo comprised Credit Bank’s new corporate identity and profile. 

It could be said that the new logo heralded a new era, as Credit Bank would introduce innovative transaction systems and new customer service methods, ranging from its state-of-the-art branches and the Rural Service to the cash deposit boxes and the first drive-in banking branch in Greece. 

An innovative communication strategy 

The new identity was promoted through an innovative, integrated advertising campaign launched for the first time in the Greek market. This campaign aimed at outlining the bank’s profile through the selected symbols and colours. 

Gradually, elements of the new corporate identity were also integrated in the branches’ exterior.  

All printed informational material was redesigned to clearly reflect Credit Bank’s new logo and colour palette.  

A groundbreaking, country-wide initiative 

Along with its new corporate identity, Credit Bank introduced the Rural Service to reach people in the most remote areas of the Greek countryside. 

To this end, buses were converted to mobile banking units. On the inside, the vehicles were divided into 2 compartments: one served as the entrance and customer greeting area and the other as the employee and customer service area.  

The service was soon everywhere in Greece. Credit Bank’s fresh, distinct new profile would become a symbol that could embody and promote modern banking concepts.  

This original customer service method was used extensively by Credit Bank well into the mid-1990s. 

Credit Bank’s collection of advertising material 

This information leaflet belongs to the wealth of archival and advertising material produced in the context of designing and implementing Credit Bank’s new corporate identity. The material dates from the years 1972-1973. 

Thanks to the leaflet, customers could find out about the logo and colour palette comprising Credit Bank’s new, bold world. It included a detailed description of Credit Bank’s new corporate identity, which was fully consistent with the modern banking concepts the bank embodied. 

Designed by Tseklenis 

One of the first parts of the campaign involved designing employee uniforms. Distinguished Greek fashion designer Yannis Tseklenis was chosen for the task.  

The Credit Bank logo was used as a decorative motif on the dresses, ties, scarves, buckles on women’s belts and custom document bags.  

The logo was also applied on everyday objects such as pencils, ashtrays, key chains etc. 

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