Building a Challenger Brand Identity
As exchange-traded funds (ETFs) continued to grow in popularity, Franklin Templeton launched LibertyShares within an increasingly crowded and highly competitive market.
The challenge was creating a distinct brand identity that could stand out among established ETF providers while maintaining a meaningful connection to the Franklin Templeton parent brand.
Our team explored multiple strategic directions for positioning LibertyShares within the Franklin Templeton portfolio. Once the decision was made to establish LibertyShares as a distinct sub-brand, I developed a design system that balanced independence with brand continuity.
My concept drew inspiration from Franklin Templeton's existing visual language, incorporating arrow-shaped framing elements that created a recognizable connection to the parent brand without relying on overt branding cues. These graphic devices became the foundation of a scalable visual system that could extend across advertising, digital experiences, presentations, and marketing materials.
The LibertyShares wordmark was designed to reinforce the concept of movement, exchange, and connectivity that are central to ETF investing. Every element of the system was developed to support a challenger-brand positioning while maintaining alignment with the larger Franklin Templeton ecosystem.
The LibertyShares platform expanded to 36 ETFs across active, smart beta, and passive investment strategies. The LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF ranked third in assets raised among all new ETFs launched in 2016, while LibertyShares assets under management grew to $1.41 billion by July 2018.
The visual system provided a distinctive and flexible identity that helped establish market recognition during the brand's launch and early growth. The framing elements became a highly recognizable part of the brand and were adopted enthusiastically across the organization, demonstrating the strength and scalability of the system.