The year is 2024, and African businesses are powering their growth with global digital tools, yet paying for them remains a costly barrier. Currency conversion fees and volatile exchange rates turn every SaaS subscription into a financial gamble. In Nigeria alone, businesses lose millions annually to these hidden costs. Mercurie saw the opportunity to change this, launching with Adpay to let businesses pay for Google Ads in Naira. Success was immediate: over 2,000 businesses adopted the platform within months.
But rapid growth revealed a challenge. As Mercurie expanded from Adpay to SaaSpay and Cloudpay, its brand identity struggled to keep pace with its ambitions. What started as a single-product solution now needed to represent a comprehensive vision: Accelerating Africa's entire digital economy.
We helped them build that foundation.
Brand Strategy | Brand Identity
Iconography | Illustrations
Brand Guidelines
Do more with your local currency
The insight that shaped everything: African businesses shouldn't have to think in dollars to access global tools. Your local currency isn't a limitation; it's your competitive advantage. Mercurie transforms the Naira from a barrier into a bridge, enabling businesses to focus on growth instead of exchange rates.
This philosophy extends beyond payments. It's about economic sovereignty. When businesses can operate fully in their local currency, they're not just saving on conversion fees; they're participating in building a stronger local economy. Every transaction through Mercurie is a vote for Africa's digital independence.
Identity that commands trust
Authority meets approachability. The logomark needed to command respect in boardrooms while feeling accessible to growing businesses. Through iterative refinement, we achieved a symbol that balances Fintech credibility with Nigerian warmth—essential for a brand serving everyone from startups to established enterprises.
The palette celebrates Nigeria's currency heritage while projecting modern fintech sophistication. Bricolage Grotesque and Mona Sans create typographic tension that mirrors Mercurie's positioning: deeply local, globally ambitious. Every touchpoint reinforces this duality.
An adaptive visual system
Static brands don't reflect dynamic companies. We developed an adaptive system of visual containers that reshape based on content and context—from social media squares to web banners to product interfaces. These dynamic shapes create unmistakable consistency while providing the flexibility needed for rapid product expansion across multiple touchpoints.
The intricate hatchings and security patterns found on Naira notes became a secondary visual language for the brand. These patterns add depth and cultural significance to layouts while reinforcing trust through familiar Nigerian design elements that customers instinctively recognize as authentic and secure.
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Communicating through illustrations and iconography
Custom illustrations and iconography translate complex Fintech concepts into clear visual communication. The angle of the illustrations echoes the logo's geometry, creating a cohesive language that works from mobile interfaces to website design.
To ensure Mercurie maintains a strong and consistent presence across digital channels, we designed a comprehensive set of social media templates. These templates provide a cohesive framework for announcements, updates, and campaigns, making every communication feel distinctly Mercurie while allowing for content flexibility across platforms.
