ABOUT

CONTEXT
Behind many of the world’s most ground-breaking companies are investors that are forward-thinking and inherently purposeful. One such investor is IP Group, a business that invests in many remarkable companies – including Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc, which hit headlines globally in 2020 for its work in the fight against COVID.

IP Group regularly invests in companies achieving incredible things, and is on a mission to generate positive social and environmental impact alongside strong financial returns with every investment it makes.

As well as a new visual identity – one that spoke to the scale and impact of its ambition – the FTSE 250-listed business needed a website that would powerfully convey its offer to stakeholders, including the founders and visionaries behind its vast portfolio of companies. It needed to shake off associations with ‘intellectual property’ and reframe how it was perceived and understood, particularly by capital markets.

BRIEF
It's fair to say that IP Group’s approach to brand had been somewhat conservative; the 20-year-old business had understandably been more focused on establishing its reputation as an investor backing the scientific discoveries shaping the future.

But as a result, it was struggling to convey its points of differentiation: namely its ability to partner with the most visionary thinkers out there to have a positive impact on people and planet.

Having marked some significant milestones in its journey – including the floating of Oxford Nanopore and the announcement of a new CEO, Greg Smith – 2022 felt the right time for brand investment.

BRANDING SOLUTION
The strategy behind IP Group’s new brand positioning focused on two key priorities: exemplifying its truly unique approach and breaking out of category conventions. Its redefined purpose – to accelerate the impact of science for a better future – conveys decisive action, scientific expertise and a focus on positive impact. The rearticulated purpose, vision, positioning and brand manifesto then acted as a creative springboard for the new visual and verbal identity.

The story underpinning everything was ‘idea to impact’ – positioning IP Group as the partner that helps founders deliver the greatest real-world impact. In turn, the new visual identity needed to be bold and future-facing; it needed to convey IP Group’s expertise in science and technology as well as its ability to identify and back the most visionary thinkers out there.

While the new marque tells the 'idea to impact' story, the core colour palette was chosen for distinction and differentiation. A bold, real-life documentary photography style captures every stage of the innovation process, from initial idea through to real-world impact, and puts even greater focus on the benefits for people and planet.

Knowing that we needed to build brand awareness and inject new meaning into IP Group’s name, we developed a tagline – Visionary ventures – to clearly convey its brand personality as well as its experience and expertise in the world of investment.

RESULTS
IP Group’s new positioning and visual identity successfully addressed the questions asked in the initial brief – particularly around driving distinction and differentiation. As CEO Greg Smith said: ‘Our new brand identity… more accurately reflects who and what our business is today. By articulating our clear sense of purpose, expertise and track record, we aim to differentiate ourselves for investors, founders and co-funders.’

Since launching the new brand in March 2023, engagement across social channels has seen significant uplift: on LinkedIn alone, average post engagements in May are 40% higher than in February.