CIT Group, the American financial holding company known for commercial lending, equipment financing and banking services, uses a wordmark built around the three-letter initialism “CIT.” The current visual identity was introduced in November 2018 as part of a broader brand refresh that included a new marketing campaign, tagline and website.[1]
Design and History
On November 15, 2018, CIT Group revealed a “simplified and refreshed brand identity” aimed at presenting a more cohesive market presence following a multi-year transformation of the company.[1] The effort included a new marketing campaign, tagline and website reflecting CIT’s consumer and commercial businesses.[2]
The 2018 refresh was CIT’s first brand update in 12 years, according to Gina Proia, CIT’s chief marketing and communications officer.[3] The campaign was designed in part to appeal to retail savers, the group driving CIT’s deposit growth at the time, as the company shifted from a commercial finance firm reliant on brokered deposits toward a more traditional deposit-funded bank.[3]
CIT collaborated with the creative agency TAXI to bring the brand revitalization to life.[1] As part of the initiative, the CIT Direct Capital brand transitioned to become simply CIT in the company’s Business Capital division.[1]
The CIT wordmark itself has a longer registered history. A trademark for the “stylized representation of the letters ‘CIT'” was registered under registration number 2781012, with a status date of November 2013 indicating the mark was registered and renewed.[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
CIT’s visual identity system is centered on a “Lens of Opportunity,” described as the point where a customer’s goal comes to fruition. According to the company, what starts as an idea, represented by a sketch, becomes a reality with focus, expertise and financial agility powered by CIT.[1]
The 2018 campaign also introduced the tagline “Bank Like You,” which CIT said reinforced its focus on empowering customers and putting them and their financial goals front and center.[1]
Typography and Design
The CIT logo is a single-color wordmark. A color reference commonly associated with the CIT Group logo is “Authentic Teal,” with a hex code of #02505C, though this color value is derived from third-party logo color databases rather than official CIT brand documentation.[5]
In January 2022, First Citizens BancShares completed its previously announced merger with CIT Group.[6] The CIT brand has continued to be used for commercial clients following the acquisition.
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