Creating clarity and confidence with NHTrust’s financial rebrand

For NHTrust Wealth Management and Financial Advisors, success hinges on one thing: a solid plan. That’s the message behind the new Plan Confidently tagline and elevated look. And we even received one of our biggest compliments to date from an NHTrust board member: “I used to think branding didn’t make a difference, you’ve made me believe!” Oh stop, we’re blushing!

WHAT WE DID
  • Brand Audit: Discovery, Focus Groups, Surveys
  • Brand Strategy: Visual Identity and Guidelines
  • Brand Strategy: Messaging and Verbal Identity
  • Brand Rollout and Activation
  • Website Design
Close-up of a suit with an NHTrust pin and two NHTrust brochures, one for financial advisors, one for wealth management.

Brand Audit: Discovery, Focus Groups, Surveys

Long before we get to a new design, we need buy-in from the right stakeholders. The best way to hear these voices is through brand working sessions, focus groups, surveys and competitor research, where we gain insight that leads to the right tone, visuals and vision. Earning trust in the branding process happens through relationship building, and the NHTrust team came prepared and committed. Gathering information is only part of the benefit; this phase signals to the entire company that change is coming, creating excitement and a sense of belonging.

Brand Strategy: Verbal and Visual Identity

Tagline

Throughout discovery, we found confident experts and a planning-first approach were the key drivers of a successful NHTrust experience. Plan Confidently was developed and became a memorable driver for thematic messaging across both divisions.

Sub brands

A clear delineation of NHTrust’s two service areas was a top priority. We added Wealth Management to the company name and created two subrands that can stand on their own: NHT Wealth Management and NHT Financial Advisors. In addition to FINRA’s legal requirements for separation across materials, the two offerings are defined by the complexity of a customer’s finances and require different strategies and teams. NHTrust can now clearly guide clientele to the appropriate service for them.

Logo and Visuals

Upward-moving, clean visuals were developed to drive confidence and a future-focused outlook. A warm gold accent gradient shows modern class, while angled design elements mirror the NHT icon. We’ll let the rest of the visuals speak for themselves.

NHTrust Financial Advisors logo with bold NHTrust above Financial Advisors in a smaller font.
  • Old logo
NHTrust wealth management logos and slogans shown on white and teal backgrounds in different layouts.
White letters NHT on a solid brown background.
NHT logo with white letters and a gold diagonal line forming part of the H and T on a dark blue background.
The letters NHT in blue and gold, with a slanted gold line connecting the H and T, on a white background.
White letters NHT on teal background; gold gradient accents the diagonal crossbar of the T.

Brand Rollout and Activation

If a new logo suddenly appears with no explanation, a launch can move quickly from thrilling to confusing (hello, Twitter). Over 6 months, a thoughtfully planned brand rollout was executed to create excitement and avoid the pitfalls of poor communication. All internal and external print and digital materials, including website, were revamped to create a cohesive look and feel across every touchpoint. To drive excitement, a social teaser campaign encouraged followers to stay tuned for what was coming.

The rebrand was officially unveiled through the launch of NHTrust’s new email newsletter — with communications tailored separately for clients and staff. Client-facing messaging reassured audiences that the refreshed look was designed to better reflect NHTrust’s growth, more clearly define their scope of services and reaffirm their commitment to the same high-quality, localized expertise they’ve always delivered.

Announcement email:

Open rate
0 %
Click rate
0 %
Text reads: COMING SOON. In 2026, Plan Confidently. with a gold and blue geometric design below.
Text reads: “EARLY 2026. Plan Confidently.” on a teal background with partial bold gold and white letters below.

Website Design

An expertly positioned brand redesign can’t do all the work. When we built NHTrust’s new website, the focus was on best explaining two distinct divisions and elevating the user journey and experience. Driving visitors to “start a conversation” through a streamlined site navigation ensures prospective clients can easily find the expertise they need.

The regularly updated Insights and News hub hosts high-value thought leadership pieces and updates, establishing the firm as a trusted resource for wealth management and financial advisor education. Multiple interactive financial calculators allow site visitors to model their financial futures in real time.

NHTrust.com
Large yellow left quotation marks on a light gray background.

NHTrust enjoyed working with Cookson Communications during our recent brand refresh. Their expertise and dedication made the entire process both smooth and rewarding. Cookson Communications helped us create a fresh, professional identity that truly captures who we are today, while also minimizing confusion in the marketplace.

From the start, they invested the time to understand our business, our culture, and the experience we wanted clients and prospects to have when engaging with our firm. Thanks to their thoughtful approach, we now have a clean, modern brand and a sleek, informative website that is not only visually appealing but also much easier to navigate. The new site effectively tells our story and reflects our values in a way that feels authentic to NHTrust.

Throughout the process, their team was consistently responsive, collaborative, and easy to work with. We appreciated their ability to listen, provide insightful guidance, and transform our ideas into a finished product that resonates with both our team and our clients.

Cydney Shapleigh, CTFA®

President, NHTrust

Tagged , ,