Banrisul, formally Banco do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul S.A., is a Brazilian financial institution headquartered in Porto Alegre. The bank’s visual identity underwent a comprehensive rebranding in May 2022, replacing a mark that had been in use for over five decades.
Design and History
The current Banrisul logo, unveiled on May 23, 2022, features three interlocking hexagons in blue, purple and green, paired with the wordmark “banrisul” in lowercase letters. The design was introduced as part of a rebranding process that included a new positioning and the concept “Nossa conexão transforma” (“Our connection transforms”).[1]
The new mark updates the three cubes that had accompanied the logo since its creation, now representing the connected collective.[2] The traditional blue was retained to respect the bank’s history and essence, while two new colors, lilac and green, were added to represent modernity and sustainability.[3]
The original Banrisul mark dates to the 1970s, created by Brazilian artist and designer Aloísio Magalhães. According to the bank’s own materials at the time, the symbol of three cubes represented efficiency, solidity and organization, the basic principles of the company.[4] The bank’s investor relations timeline confirms that the logo was modified in 1971 when the bank stopped using the name “BERGS” and began to be called Banrisul.[5]
The rebranding work began before the COVID-19 pandemic, based on market research and studies. According to Banrisul president Cláudio Coutinho, the previous model communicated only part of what the bank represents, as a solid institution, without conveying other attributes the bank had acquired over the years, such as its capacity to update itself and its focus on the digital environment and connectivity.[2]
Meaning and Symbolism
The three cubes that originated with the mark carried the meaning of solidity, efficiency and organization. In the 2022 redesign, the three connected hexagons took on a new concept: they now signify the human, the collective and the present.[6] The bank’s 2022 sustainability report describes the new brand as representing the institution as collective, human and contemporary, in addition to the historical attributes of security, solidity and credibility.[7]
The color palette carries documented meaning: the traditional blue was maintained to respect the bank’s history and essence, while the two new colors, lilac and green, represent modernity and sustainability respectively.[1]
Typography and Design
The 2022 redesign changed the wordmark from the previous typography to all lowercase letters with thinner, softer lines than the earlier version.[8] The new design is described as more modern, minimalist and colorful, entirely in lowercase.[9] The simplified symbol was constructed from the traditional hexagons, now rendered in a two-dimensional form that makes monochrome applications easier.[4]
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