Velocity Risk: A new language for insurance

Velocity Risk Underwriters is wholly dedicated to provide commercial and residential insurance for higher-risk, catastrophe-exposed, coastal areas in the USA - working as a partner to local brokers and agents.

These exposed communities are historically underserved by insurers because they’ve been considered too-hard-to-place. But with the climate emergency making devastating weather events more frequent, their needs are greater than ever. 

Velocity Risk is thriving as a business because they see catastrophe risk insurance as an opportunity. As an MGA - in effect an aggregator - Velocity Risk is able to draw upon the capacity of multiple carriers and bring more capital to the table. By using state-of-the-art data analysis to enable smart underwriting, and with an “up and at ‘em” highly enthused culture, Velocity Risk enables people to live and work where they choose.

The old branding and messaging of Velocity Risk didn’t represent its stature or its sophistication as a business.  And the stand-out element of their story - their ability to bring capital closer to risk and closer to opportunity - was not being told.

Our challenge was to define a language and style of engagement which conveyed the vision, culture and capabilities of Velocity Risk: their courage to ‘take the road less travelled’ to deliver greater returns for capital partners; more commissions for brokers and agents; more stable and secure capacity and most of all more confidence for catastrophe-prone communities.

To express why the business matters to capital providers, brokers, agents, insureds and talent, we defined the purpose of Velocity Risk ads ‘creating uncommon opportunities by embracing uncommon risk’. 

In a cliché-ridden market with interchangeable imagery, we had the opportunity to project a totally distinctive image for Velocity Risk – an uncommon identity which matched and dramatized their uncommon approach.

The bold, smart and authentic nature of the brand is conveyed by combining words and pictures in the way that they are used in every-day communications such as texts and Whatsapp. We have developed a set of gifs and emojis which can be used to amplify, reinforce or clarify messages. 

Alongside these elements, we created a suite of dynamic animated logos based on the science of weather risk; a stand-out colour palette and a unique typeface that protects a contemporary but unorthodox look.

Having designed brand application for website, mobile, apps, digital and social, stationery, documents and forms, brochures, PowerPoint, event stands and banners, signage and interiors, promotional items, we worked closely with the business to activate the brand. 

We also created a comprehensive image and assets library and on-line digital brand guidelines.

velocityrisk.com

Velocity Risk have a distinctive culture and strong values, where everyone is empowered to impact the company from every level. This is reflected in a new EVP

“Uncommon opportunity. Uncommon career”, and a more distinctive way of expressing the firm’s strong core values.

As part of a wider engagement plan around the new brand, these values come to life in a series of short videos, a digital brand book and a brand film. As many people joined Velocity Risk during Covid lockdown, these are vital tools to help spread the Velocity Risk culture and way of doing things, when everyone is working remotely.

Six months after the launch of the brand refresh in 2021, Velocity Risk was purchased by Oaktree Capital Management.

in 2022 Velocity Risk was awarded: Best in Show, External Corporate Brand at the Insurance Marketing & Communications Association awards (USA)IMCA