How to Completely Change Your Brand with Signage - Bankers Trust Case Study

Bankers Trust is a Des Moines based family-owned bank with 18 locations across Central Iowa, Omaha, NE, Sioux Falls, SD and Phoenix, AZ.

Bankers Trust went through a 2-year long rebranding initiative, which culminated in 2014 with rebranded interior and exterior signage at all of their locations. This included upgrading their signs to energy-efficient LED lighting and replacing all of their electronic message boards to Watchfire units, which also allowed them all to be controlled from one central location.

The existing sign system was a variety of large pole signs, exterior monoliths, exterior channel letters, precision-cut aluminum letters for interior and exterior application, and vinyl entry logos. This variety meant unique individual design applications for each situation.

Latitude Signage Latimer Group was brought into the rebranding process before the new brand change was made public. This meant that there was only an 8-month window to complete design, fabrication and installation in order to meet Bankers Trust brand launch to the public.

The initial task was to visit each bank site and conduct a sign audit to document every sign. The audit included photographs, measurements, product and mounting information, as well as internal electrical and the illumination of each sign.

From the Audit, Latitude Signage Latimer Group created a sign design drawing package unique for each Bank location. This included photo imaging the new sign design into existing conditions. Another purpose of the audit was to provide recommendations of what existing signage could be retrofitted with new sign faces, what needed to be replaced, and where a new sign needed to be added.

Latitude Signage Latimer Group also provided all of the sign permitting services, including meetings with the City of Des Moines Variance Board for a few unique situations.

Latitude Signage Latimer Group also tailored the product solutions to work best for each location, which helped Bankers Trust deal with the variety of existing signage at each Bank location.

Nicole Bradley, Operations Manager for Bankers Trust said of the partnership with Latitude, “Our goal was to make a significant impact in the market with our new Bankers Trust brand, so it was important to have the signage updated in a very short window. Working with [Latitude Signage Latimer Group] was beneficial as they consulted with us to establish our goals, gave us a tour of the plant while our signs were on the production line, and delivered an exemplary product.”