They work with everyone from central banks to creatives, so this smart consultancy needed a brand that felt clear, confident and creatively in tune. The result? A flexible new identity that makes sense of all the financial chaos – and proves money talk doesn’t have to be boring.
Money might make the world go round, but it’s rarely straightforward. With FX strategy, de-dollarisation (yep, that’s a thing), and digital currencies all in play, the financial world’s moving faster than most of us can keep up. That’s where Makosch comes in.
This isn’t your average currency consultancy. Makosch works with everyone from central banks and multinationals to filmmakers and cultural institutions, helping them navigate the complex world of money. But while the work was bold and forward-thinking, the brand didn’t quite match. So they turned to 20(SOMETHING) to help bring things into focus.
“Makosch understood they needed a brand that felt more grown-up and confident,” says 20(SOMETHING). “But it also needed to feel open and culturally aware – in tune with the creative industries they often work with.”
That creative connection shaped a lot of the design direction. “We didn’t just want to make finance feel more accessible,” they continue. “We wanted to show its real-world value. People often switch off when finance comes up – usually because it feels intimidating or unclear. So, we designed a brand that bridges that gap. One that helps people see what protecting a budget actually means – more days filming, more money in creators’ pockets.”
Designing for a moving target
Makosch operates in one of the trickiest spaces out there – the ever-changing, high-stakes world of global finance. In this case, the brand needed to feel both solid and adaptable.
“We wanted an identity that felt grounded but flexible,” says 20(SOMETHING). “Something rooted in focus but with the ability to shift and evolve. The mark itself is modular – it’s built with this sense of engineered balance, capturing both structure and motion. Just like the consultancy.”
That idea of balance became a running theme – reflecting Makosch’s role as a calm, unbiased voice between sectors, cultures, and currencies.
Swerving the clichés
Finance branding tends to follow a familiar script: navy blues, graphs, and safe typefaces. But that didn’t feel right for Makosch – or their clients.
“We avoided all the usual tropes,” they explain. “Serif wordmarks, stuffy colour palettes, generic charts. The founder’s world is much closer to creativity than corporate finance – they work with artists, institutions, and filmmakers. So, we leaned into editorial design instead. It gave us structure and intelligence, but also a sense of cultural awareness.”
That thinking led them to Ortica – a typeface that’s sharp yet elegant, professional but full of character. “It’s got a bit of personality,” they say. “It’s structured but not stiff. Strategic, but warm.”
A brand system that flexes
At the centre of the new identity is a system-led approach – one that mirrors Makosch’s ability to work across sectors and scale as needed.
“The logo is modular – it stretches and adapts depending on where it’s used,” they explain. “It creates a really strong visual rhythm that we carry through everything – from digital to print. It’s almost architectural.”
This adaptability was essential. “The brand has to speak to everyone from central banks to music producers,” they say. “So it needed to shift tone without ever losing its identity.”
The ‘visual logic of possibility’
One unexpected phrase helped guide the project from the start: “The visual logic of possibility”.
“It just stuck with us – even though none of us remember where it came from!” they laugh. “But it summed up what we were trying to do: use design to bring clarity to something complicated and show people what’s possible when things make sense.”
Serious, but never dull
The biggest challenge? Striking that sweet spot between credibility and creativity.
“The brand had to feel reliable and smart enough for the finance world,” says 20(SOMETHING), “but also creatively fluent – something the cultural sector would relate to. We’re proud of how comfortably it sits in both spaces. It’s confident, understated, and quietly distinctive.”
And in doing so, they’ve proved financial branding doesn’t have to play it safe.
“You don’t have to fall back on the usual formulas to be taken seriously,” they add. “Makosch feels like a consultancy built for right now – one that moves easily between strategy and creativity and communicates with intelligence and care.”
Turns out, even money can have a bit of personality.
