Duke Street rebrand

Duke Street is an independent private equity firm founded in 1988 as Hambro European Ventures. It was bought from Hambros in 1998 and changed its name to Duke Street Capital. As part of the recent rebrand, its name changed to Duke Street.

Target audience: Existing and potential investors as well as chief executives of companies.

Old brand identity: An abstract graphic of the acronym DSC (standing for Duke Street Capital), with a colour scheme of royal blue and yellow. There was no positioning or strapline - it said little about the brand's expertise and didn't capture the sophistication of the business, nor did it appeal to high net-worth entrepreneurs.

New brand identity: The resulting brand identity has a timeless elegance, combining highly-crafted typography, contemporary design and high quality photography to convey openness and simplicity.

When was the new brand launched? Autumn 2008.

What is the 'big idea'? The new brand reflects the company's open, no-nonsense approach that has been so successful in attracting businesses seeking investment. The identity is quietly confident, seeking to differentiate itself in an increasingly media-focused sector. Duke Street wanted to cut ties with the ruthless connotations of private equity firms and differentiate itself with a more open approach. It also wanted the feel of an aspirational brand - more top-end consumer than City - to appeal to an audience of high-achieving business leaders.