Founded in 2016, fintech company Empower has partnered with London-based studio Ragged Edge to launch a major rebrand, dubbed "Tilt." This rebrand is part of a strategy to address the unfair credit system that affects over 100 million workers in the US. Their goal is to move beyond simply providing livelihood support to becoming partners who can help people climb the economic ladder.

Millions of Americans still lack access to financial services due to poor credit scores. This forces them to resort to high-interest payday loans or overdraft accounts with exorbitant fees when they need quick cash. Tilt challenges the existing system by offering a new way to access cash without relying on credit scores, interest rates, or late fees.

This rebranding encompassed everything from brand strategy and name, logo, tone and manner, website, and illustration system. Like Tilt's underwriting philosophy, which assesses an individual's financial health through over 250 non-traditional indicators, the brand has adopted a more potential-focused approach than in the past. The conviction that "they are worth it" permeates the entire brand.

The new name, "Tilt," expresses the company's commitment to correcting the imbalances of the existing financial system. The handwritten, slanted logo intuitively conveys this message, visually expressing the brand's core. The font, using a slanted custom script, also emphasizes a sense of urgency and vitality, calling for action.

The verbal tone and manner are emotional yet firm. This reflects Tilt's stance: "Rather than being just another friend to people, we need to be the ones who kick doors open." Rather than focusing on friendliness, we focused on building a strong brand image that believes in possibility and action.

The illustration work was done in collaboration with designer Pearl Chuaynarong. The visual elements, composed of brush strokes that embrace human effort rather than mere decoration, are applied throughout the website and products, supporting the brand's identity.

After the brand refresh, Tilt achieved a 70 percent increase in click-through rates on its meta advertising platform and achieved seamless customer acquisition. Recent acquisitions and brand integration strategies have also gained momentum thanks to a unified brand identity.