Refresh: Clearwater Analytics.
Establishing a Cohesive, Scalable Brand for the Full Investment Lifecycle
Toward the end of 2023, Clearwater Analytics was already well known in Boise as a major employer and tech-driven financial platform. Internally, the brand team had identified several areas for improvement, and work was underway to modernize and align the brand more closely with the company’s growing ambitions.
In early 2024, Clearwater began acquiring and partnering with firms, such as Enfusion and Beacon, that extended its reach across the full investment lifecycle. This marked a significant evolution: Clearwater was no longer a specialized platform for reporting and performance…
Clearwater is a world class international front-to-back, end-to-end investment management solution.
This strategic growth required a visual and verbal identity that could scale across product lines, reflect institutional trust, and support the integration of multiple services under one unified brand.
Brand Challenges & Strategic Improvements
Visuals Misaligned
The existing brand heavily relied on abstract, cartoon-like illustrations that lacked relevance to the company’s technical precision and financial focus. They felt disconnected from the product experience and often diluted key selling points.
Our approach focused on leveraging product wireframes and actual UI elements to ground marketing visuals in reality. This helped establish visual continuity between the product and the message, enhancing storytelling and building stronger alignment between Marketing, Sales, and Product.
Typeface Inconsistencies and Lack of Authority
The primary typeface in use—Urbane Pro Rounded—lacked the sophistication and clarity needed to represent a global fintech brand. It felt soft and lacked the authority clients expect from a firm managing billions in assets.
We introduced Poppins as the new primary typeface. Geometric, modern, and clean, it better reflects the approachable expertise of Clearwater teams while enhancing legibility and presence across digital and print formats. The difference in tone and professionalism was immediately noticeable.
An Outdated and Inflexible Color System
The existing color palette leaned heavily on pastel tints and muddy neutrals, creating challenges with contrast, accessibility, and emotional tone—especially in digital environments.
We restructured the color system to include a wider range of vibrant and grounded tones, increasing contrast and improving visual hierarchy. The updated palette provides better flexibility for UI applications, data visualization, and marketing collateral while maintaining continuity with the existing brand.
A Logo Lacking Presence
While not slated for a full redesign, the existing logo lacked visual weight and didn't convey the strength or stability of a company expanding its reach and influence in global finance.
We addressed this through system refinement—developing stronger lockups, defining consistent spacing and usage rules, and showcasing real-world applications that reinforced trust and clarity.
Voice & Tone
As part of the refresh, Clearwater adopted a more focused and expert-driven tone of voice to better reflect its maturity and market position. The new messaging communicates with clarity and confidence, aligning with the depth and credibility of its solutions and people.
Key changes in tone include:
Moving from broad, marketing-driven language to precise, outcome-focused messaging
Centering communication around client needs and real product capabilities
Replacing jargon with clarity to build trust and accessibility
Reflecting the confidence and professionalism of an enterprise-grade partner
The Refresh: A Platform for Growth
The evolution of Clearwater’s brand reflects the company’s expanding role in the industry. What began as a reporting and performance platform is now positioned as a comprehensive, integrated investment management solution. The updated brand system supports this shift by delivering:
Visual storytelling tied to product experience
Clear, confident typography and tone
A flexible, accessible color palette
A more unified and scalable brand system
This refresh is more than a new look—it’s a strategic foundation designed to support future integrations, international growth, and a broader range of institutional clients. It signals to the market that Clearwater is prepared to lead—across the full investment lifecycle.
