A message from Matt Bochenek, CEO of Avant:
For too many Americans, financial security is feeling more and more out of reach. Nearly one-third lack the savings to pay for a $400 emergency expense, such as a car repair or medical bill.^ Rising prices are making it harder to cover the basics. And without some breathing room in the budget, it can seem impossible to make progress on life goals and get ahead.
Since its founding in 2012, Avant has been dedicated to providing access to credit to those who are generally underserved by the traditional banking system. Based in Chicago, we’re a credit-first financial technology company* that provides access to innovative financial solutions, including personal loans and credit cards. While the company has grown and evolved over the years, it’s always remained true to its founding mission of lowering the costs and barriers of borrowing for everyday people.
Now ten years in, Avant is marking a new milestone with a dramatic brand transformation. The new visual identity and brand strategy reflect the company’s history, evolution and renewed commitment to empowering more people to move forward on their financial journeys.
The time is right
When I became Avant CEO in May 2021, one of my top priorities was to help shape the strategic vision behind our mission and go-forward identity. As one of Avant’s earliest employees, I’m proud to have witnessed the evolution of our business from a single provider of personal loans to where we are today, marking our 10 year anniversary with an exciting rebrand as we celebrate a decade of enabling access to credit for over 2 million hard working Americans.
Looking forward, I’m excited about the next chapter of Avant’s history and have tremendous confidence in our ability — and more importantly, our deep passion — to continue growing, learning and innovating as a team.
The launch of the new brand also aligns with the growing demand for help navigating today’s unique set of economic challenges. The new brand is based on a relentless focus on meeting the needs of our customers. From digital tools to access to credit to supportive customer service, we’re here to help move financial lives forward. It’s fairly simple: When our customers win, we win. And that motivating factor will push us forward as a company and in our pursuit to continue to deliver innovative financial solutions to you.
A strong brand with a clear message
From the start, the Avant brand has been grounded in deep respect for the grit our customers show in navigating their financial circumstances. By offering access to the products and services you need to pursue your unique financial goals, we succeed by helping you succeed.
Through every step of the rebranding process, our team has worked to clarify and strengthen the core essence of our brand, identifying the key elements that differentiate Avant, and exploring ways to communicate that brand identity through compelling visuals and messaging.
Our focus on our customers
A key element in our brand evolution is its focus on customer-centricity. Coming out of the Great Recession of 2008, the FinTech industry emerged as a disruptive force, creating challenger brands to the traditional system that offered new products and services to consumers hungry for a better, more intuitive financial experience. Like many early FinTechs, Avant helped to level the financial playing field by focusing on accessibility, a seamless digital experience and products that were both fee-friendly and transparent.
Fast forward ten years to today and in many ways a digital experience has gone from disruptive to table stakes. That’s why we used our rebrand process to go further, taking a deep dive into the psychological and emotional issues that drive the complicated relationships people have with money.
It’s this connection to the real human side of money that sets the new Avant brand apart. Transparency, simplicity and control are great, but they don’t mean anything if you don’t also address the everyday hopes, fears and dreams that drive the real-world decisions we make about money.
For me, it all boils down to a simple truth: People come first. At Avant, we see people holistically, not just as credit scores. And we never patronize our customers or trivialize your journey. We take your needs to heart and work together to provide the products, services and personal support you need to move your financial life forward.
The spirit of the new brand is captured in its new tagline: Financially Forward.TM It’s both a commitment and a rallying cry, inspiring our team and our customers to keep working hard toward each new goal. It’s also our promise to you that we’ll be with you at every step — empowering you with the products, tools, services and support you need to keep moving forward on your financial journey.
What’s next
At Avant, we’re proud of where we’ve been and incredibly excited about where we’re going. We’ve set our standards high but we know we can get there by working together as a team and for our customers — staying true to our mission and brand identity. Stay tuned for more exciting announcements in the new year as we look toward the next ten years of our journey and focus on moving both our customers and Avant Financially ForwardTM.
^Federal Reserve Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households Report (May 2022).
*Avant, LLC is a financial technology company, not a bank. Avant-branded credit products are issued by WebBank.
