The world of finance is evolving at an unprecedented pace, with new technologies and innovations emerging every day. As a result, more and more companies are looking to move into Web3 with decentralized finance (DeFi) projects. However, they often lack the tools and resources needed to do so successfully.
ZARP, a cryptocurrency stablecoin pegged to the South African Rand, is an exception to this trend. Backed by Old Mutual Wealth, a trusted and esteemed South African financial service provider, ZARP was created as a way to secure compatibility with the rand and future financial systems in Web3.
Despite having the right tools and resources, ZARP’s branding felt rushed and incorrect. That’s why they turned to Nicework to simplify their brand, ensure that its functionalities were easy to understand, and digitize their brand for Web3 and the blockchain.
We worked together with ZARP’s founder Simon to create a simple, direct, and versatile brand that pays homage to its South African roots while also making sense in a digital landscape. Our design team set out to build the ZARP brand by understanding its intended impact and purpose for their project.
We learned that they wanted to represent their local currency, the South African Rand, in Web3 while also paying homage to their South African roots, setting them apart as a proudly South African brand. Above all, it needed to be easily digestible to the public.
To create a unique colour palette for the brand, we explored the colours used in South Africa’s currency and wealth. These include lime, representative of the 10 rand note, and bright yellow reminiscent of gold which makes up part of the country’s wealth, followed by a deep cyprus to balance out the contrasting colours.
We also formed a coding language inspired by the design of the one rand coin, tying in nicely with ZARP’s own functionality as a cryptocurrency stablecoin and their goal to represent the South African Rand in Web3. Additionally, we pulled on coding language to define the icon “Z” for the brand, using this as a means to build various pictograms for the brand such as smiley face caricatures.
Finally, we began building geometric patterns into the brand that were representative of South Africa, ensuring these were simplified and shown in a way that would make sense in a digital context.
The result is a simple and direct brand refresh for ZARP that successfully moves the South African Rand into Web3 and the blockchain. This branding sets them apart as a proudly South African brand while also making it easy for the public to understand their purpose and functionality.
As the world of finance continues to evolve, it’s important to have a brand that is adaptable and easily understood. We’re proud to have worked with ZARP to help redefine the future of finance, and we look forward to seeing how they continue to shape the industry.
