IOU Financial is a progressive online lender who has funded over $700 million in US loans over the last decade. When they decided to split the company off and focus entirely on wholesale lending, they came to me and my team with a need to develop an entire brand and system for the new Retail Lending company: ZING Funding. And so my relationship with ZING Funding was born from its very inception, and I’ve helped develop the brand, platform, and process every step of the way.
Branding, Web Design, and Application Development for an Atlanta Financial Company
“While Nathan’s Web design skills are fantastic, what’s even better are his communication and problem solving skills. He took the time to understand what we wanted out of the site and prioritize our needs!”
– Ian, VP of Sales
The Challenge
How do you dive into a project for a brand new company, but one that is being formed out of a $700 million dollar business? I was determined to keep the same level of professionalism and class, but try to ratchet up the creative, by focusing on a modern yet fun mood for all things ZING Funding. I mean: What could be more fun than getting a large sum of money to start your dream business with?
We kicked things off with the company branding, and one of the ideas I presented was that of a paper plane – giving the aesthetic ZING to the brand image.
Branding
Working around the idea of a paper-plane icon, I developed the ZING brand with a modern – professional yet fun – typeface, tying in the logotype with the brand mark. From there I explored color options combining the fun/playful aspect of the ZING green with the professional and modern feel of the Bismark blue/grey. Combining these colors constructed a brand feel of trustworthiness yet experienced quality.
Website Design
I really treated the website on this project as a larger part of the Brand Identity – and much of the brand was developed within the framework of the website. As a new company, much of ZING Funding’s marketing efforts will be through the website, so creating elements that work (both online and offline) was of crucial importance. From custom icons, to engaging photography, to pages that flowed effortlessly – I attempted to really design and build a cohesive yet extremely user-friendly online presence that would attract new customers, keep them engaged while using the website, and then give them bold call-to-actions to lead them through the sign up and application process.
“Nathan’s ability to overcome challenges while developing a stunning brand are second to none! We are very happy and impressed.”
– Ian, VP of Sales
Application Development
Going hand in hand with the website was the need for a sign-up process / application for potential business owners seeking a loan/funding. My team and I worked on options for the application process that would keep it simple and streamlined, but powerful and secure at the same time. Working to wireframe out the process and then developing a simple application for sign-ups, the result came out on-point: keeping with the ZING Funding branding, integrated seamlessly with the website and giving potential borrowers a user-friendly experience and security peace of mind.
I plan to continue to work with ZING for years to come on social media, evolving brand messaging, SEO, and WordPress website support and maintenance.
The Results
With the ZING Funding project just officially launching, the results aren’t quite measurable yet… but just days into their live website, the applications for funding are already beginning to come in. Feedback has been fantastic on the website, brand, and usability of the application. I plan to continue to work with ZING for years to come on social media, evolving brand messaging, SEO, and WordPress website support and maintenance.
