Screenmedia on finding a new Thredd for Global Payment Systems
After a successful round of funding Thredd (formerly Global Payment Systems) looked to Screenmedia for a total brand refresh. Not only did it refresh the brand it also scooped the Drum Design Award for Best Website. Here is the award-winning case study.
In the dynamic realm of fintech, Thredd (formerly Global Payment Systems) has emerged as an increasingly pivotal player, orchestrating the processing of billions of payments annually. Their 'true partnership' approach has indeed contributed to the success stories of several fintech unicorns, with their technology serving as a cornerstone upon which they have built their success. Central to Thredd’s rebranding from GPS, was the existing concept of a 'thread' symbolising the interconnected collaboration between the company and its partners. It’s where Thredd’s payments processing prowess converges with the aspirations of ambitious global brands, conjuring a touch of payment wizardry.
Having recently closed a successful funding round and completed an extensive rebrand, Thredd approached Screenmedia to reimagine their brand image and digital narrative to suit their renewed ambitions for growth. This partnership signifies a new chapter, characterised by modernity and confidence, in Thredd's ongoing fintech narrative.
Our strategic approach commenced with an extensive exploration of Thredd's business landscape, the dynamics of the market, and the intricacies of their target audiences. Armed with these insights, we carefully formulated our design and functionality strategies, ensuring they seamlessly integrated with Thredd's evolving brand narrative. Our overarching goal was clear: to fashion a website that not only authentically embodies the essence of the new brand but also stands out in a finance-centric arena that frequently embraces the ordinary.
THE DESIGN AND EXECUTION
At the forefront of our design process was Thredd’s new brand identity — a bold and confident personality, with a distinctive tone of voice and engaging visual identity. We integrated this boldness into every strand of the website, ensuring a consistent translation of the brand’s identity throughout each touchpoint.
To bring this to life, we introduced a wide range of interactive elements utilising modern front-end development technologies. The subtle use of parallax effects, horizontal scrolling and micro-animations were all employed to help tell the brand story.
In a world of technical jargon and complex implementations, we had to prioritise clarity. Ample use of negative space ensured a decluttered interface, spotlighting key information and directing the user's eye along carefully designed paths.
We leaned heavily on the new brand's key theme of 'true partnership', embodying it in the structural weave pattern. Based on the traditional process of weaving, the 'warp’ and the 'weft’ are the two components that turn thread into fabric. The two separate strands, seamlessly coming together to make something new and great, are what represents Thredd and their customers.
Our visual application of this concept, by animating the patterns left to right, both helps subtly communicate the partnership ethos to users as well as give a nod to the process of writing code.
EMBRACING UNIQUENESS
In a sea of predictable Fintech UI, we decided to push the boundaries of their unique brand identity and infuse the website with a retro aesthetic, with a modern twist. Thredd's unique tone of voice resonated through succinct, punchy headlines in distinctive fonts, while specially curated imagery enhanced the visual experience.
Our front-end development team worked tirelessly with our UI design team to craft a bespoke design that made Screenmedia proud, Thredd ecstatic, and their users truly engaged.
OPTIMISING USER JOURNEYS
A critical facet of our design strategy was to subtly guide users through an exploration of key products and services, nudging them towards initiating contact with Thredd. The design and content had to educate users, build brand salience in the market, and nudge users towards enquiries. The layout, visual cues, and content placement were all meticulously designed to further this goal.
INNOVATIVE FEATURES
We pushed the bar on innovation by developing a bespoke configurator tool to help users understand if they are a good fit. This feature guided potential customers through a step-by-step process, intelligently matching them with the perfect product or service for their individual payment process needs.
THE OUTCOME
Thredd's revitalised website, launched in April 2023, was met with resounding approval from their team, stakeholders, and the wider market. Since launch, they’ve seen a huge increase in traffic to the site and an impressive increase in high quality leads.
“Our new website has far exceeded the targets we set for this project, and is already supporting the wider business with a significantly increased number of leads.” Sarah Caseberry, Head of Digital Marketing
The transformation equipped Thredd with a strong digital foundation to bolster their expansion plans and unequivocally highlighted the value of stellar UX and UI craft in shaping business trajectories.
CONCLUSION
Thredd’s digital transformation stands as a beacon of how an innovative, style-centric design approach can not only amplify brand identity and user engagement but also drive business growth by clearly communicating their ‘why’. This project has pushed the boundaries and expectations of design in the fintech industry, highlighting the transformative power of creativity in the digital sphere.