Established in 1987 in New York and now with 17 offices in 10 countries ITG (Investment Technology Group) is "an independent research broker partnering with global portfolio managers and traders throughout the investment process, from investment decision through to settlement." If that's a little unclear — it is to me — they help "clients understand market trends, improve performance, mitigate risk, and navigate increasingly complex markets." To coincide with its 25th anniversary, ITG has dropped its full name and introduced a new identity and "brandline", Decoding Signal from Noise, by Landor.
TG's new brand identity includes a new logo, look and feel, naming system, messaging and brandline. Driven by stark design, smart copy and staggered headlines and logo, ITG's new brand reflects the firm's cutting-edge technology and unique market perspectives. […] Of special significance is ITG's new brandline, Decoding Signal from Noise™, which expresses how the firm helps clients manage the deluge of information in modern financial markets, cutting through the clutter to deliver data-driven insights that no one else can match.
— Press Release
Brand launch video.
The previous logo looked like a generic financial firm, or a healthcare provider, or manufacturer of dentist tools — featuring two interlocked swooshes, probably meaning commitment or partnership or whocares. The new logo follows in similar footsteps to last year's XL Group identity not in the sense that they copied or emulated it but in that it is not afraid to look like a bold, risk-taking, and aggressive company. I have the sense that a lot of people are going to hate this logo, and probably with good reasons, but there is, again like with XL Group, something refreshing about the jarring and unexpected layout of the three letters. They ain't pretty per se, but they make a statement and it stands out.
The rest of the identity relies on similar uncomfortable layouts and staggering as well as breaking words in the wrong places and foregoing necessary things like spaces between words. It starts to veer a little into the campy kind of trendy and edgy but it's something that can be reigned in as the identity evolves. Overall, another welcome addition to the "Don't Mess With Me" or "I'm Not Here to Make Friends" identity category.
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