Branding Octave
Octave started life as Ambac, a business with a clear ambition: to redefine insurance distribution, attract new shareholders and become the destination for top talent. But to reach that future, they had to leave the past behind.
They asked us to help them reimagine who they are, and we helped them find a more expressive name. Octave is a nod to the harmonic combination of notes, where each part strengthens the whole. It’s about balance, impact and a business working together in perfect harmony.
That idea shaped everything that followed. We created a confident new logo and a fresh identity. The clean, lowercase wordmark has rounded forms that carry through into an interlocking ring pattern and flowing line graphics, all echoing the harmony behind the name. Deep navy and bright lime, paired with expansive landscape photography, give the brand a graphic and photographic support system designed to intensify impact.
We set it all down in a full set of brand guidelines covering colour, typography, imagery and graphic devices, so the brand stays consistent whoever picks it up next. We then designed wireframes for every page of the new website, setting the structure and user journey before Octave’s own development team built the live site with our support.
The same ingredients for success, with a completely new look and feel. The result is a brand that attracts investors, empowers people and positions Octave as a place where top talent will want to work. Our work repositions Octave for the future.
Rebranding Octave
Reimagining insurance distribution
Ambac came to us with a clear ambition: to redefine insurance distribution, attract new shareholders and become a destination for top talent.
To achieve that, they needed a brand that reflected where the business was going, rather than where it had been.
We worked with Ambac to reimagine the business from the ground up, starting with its name.
A name with meaning
We developed Octave – a name inspired by the harmonic combination of notes, where each part strengthens the whole.
It reflects the ideas at the heart of the business: balance, impact and collaboration. More importantly, it gave the team a distinctive and expressive platform from which to build its future.
A new identity
We created a confident new logo and visual identity, supported by a flexible graphic and photographic system designed to give the brand greater presence and impact.
The result is a visual language that feels considered, contemporary and distinctive, while retaining the expertise and experience that underpin the business.
Designed for what’s next
The new identity is designed to work across every aspect of the business – from attracting investors and engaging clients to empowering its people and helping attract the next generation of talent.
The same expertise. The same ambition. A completely new expression.
Our work has given Octave the confidence, flexibility and personality to move into its next chapter – and a brand built to grow with it.