Capital One

Elements

Truly Personalized

The Credit Card: Radically Redesigned

Capital One came to ISL with a revolutionary new credit card. But it needed a name, a brand, a story, and an activation to announce it to the world at SXSW… in 42 days. Unlike your average credit card, it featured a radically new shape, a dozen different finishes and an absence of what most people would think of as branding.

We explored a variety of branding and ultimately landed on:
It’s your credit card, it should look that way. Your signature belongs on the front.

Love at First Swipe

From Sketches to South By

The strategy behind the card needed to highlight the card owner, not the credit card company. We explored a variety of directions, but decided the beauty of the cards and the elements they are made of really speak for themselves. This realization led us to design and produce everything from the iOS application, videos and physical activation space around the card elements and the signature on them – extraordinary, sleek and personalized.

Behind The Brand

Developing a brand that could translate to a live activation, website and packaging required a unique creative mindset. — Maggie Gauedaen, Art Director

A key piece of the activation was allowing users to sign-up for the waitlist for the credit card. The demand on-site was high, but we wanted users anywhere to join the list from anywhere. A simple two-page microsite that highlighted the card elements, featured digestible FAQs and allowed users to sign-up for the waitlist did just the trick. A social media campaign as well as hand outs at SXSW drove traffic to the website.

Large Medium Small

To create an experience that was as smooth as possible, we leveraged native Swift code with Apple frameworks. The 3D card render relies on SceneKit to create a fun interaction. — Thomas Degry, Web Developer

SXSW is filled with crazy activations. We had to think of a way to draw people in, keep them there for 2-3 minutes and give them something worth keeping.

We built an iOS system that allowed users to browse Elements credit cards, using an Apple pencil to provide their personal signature. It then rendered (in real-time) onto a card on a large display. After submitting their signature, it was sent directly to an on-site laser engraver that engraved their signature onto a notebook – a truly unique takeaway for each individual; no two were alike!

While not using the iOS system or waiting on their notebook, attendees walked around the room and physically interacted with the cards, feeling the elements, frequently commenting on the various textures, always noting their favorites.

Key influencers received a custom engraved wooden box with inserts describing Project Elements, paired with a credit card with their personal signature.