Cheryl Carreau
Credibility that leaders recognise
Industry
Financial Services, Behavioral Science
What we did
Brand Strategy, Visual Identity, Verbal Identity, Website Design, Copywriting
Cheryl Carreau is a strategic advisor helping women in leadership navigate financial growth and workplace dynamics. Aside from her long-standing experience in finance, Carreau’s unique strength is her expertise in forensic psychology. Ahead of the launch of her advisory, she needed a brand that would convey her scientific precision, credibility and warmth.
Positioning that spans industries
What unlocked the key insight for this project was mapping the various alternatives Carreau’s audience may be seeking: from financial specialists to consultants, mentors and therapists. She merges forensic psychology with frameworks from almost two decades in finance. This insight formed the positioning: her work cannot be placed in a specific industry because it spans multiple. My work aims to position Carreau as the only financial strategist who uses forensic psychology. I set out to imagine her visual and verbal identity as one that lands on the line between psychology and finance, though never only in one or the other.
Credibility recognises credibility
Guided by this philosophy, I shaped the brand so established leaders would recognise it as their own. Designing an emblem was the clear choice for Cheryl's logo, because I wanted it to represent authority grounded in experience. It is a product of an explorative process of symbolism and creative expression. I built it to combine three elements, each carrying a part of the story. The emblem unfolds into a timeline that represents her process, positioning Cheryl as the strategic link between the challenge and the objective. At its core, it conveys Cheryl's values, and this depth of symbolism ensures it remains timeless and continues to represent her approach and expertise as they evolve. I developed the colour palette to balance credibility and warmth, with a deep navy base and muted pink that feels vibrant. In subtle contrast with the typography, the pink instils approachability into the otherwise serious brand presence. The brand voice feels grounded, resonates with optimism, and communicates with scientific precision. It balances the language of forensic psychology and financial consulting with the warmth of Carreau’s personality.
A brand shaped
by systems
The audience cares about systems and measurable impact. Cheryl's visual system echoes from the emblem to every brand element, and symmetry and grids weave throughout to establish a calculated brand. In a powerful layout on the services page, the emblem creates visual interest designed to be hard to forget. While designing the website, my layouts were inspired by those in the pages of a timeless book, giving the brand visual depth that goes beyond digital design and takes inspiration from tangible creative forms.
An experience that feels considered
I imagined Cheryl's brand experience as one where every interaction, from the first impression to the final parts of the process, reflects a thoughtful attention to detail that makes her audience feel considered and valued. While developing the brand textures, I selected fine-textured paper and embossing as the brand’s choice for printed assets. The refined tactile experience conveys thoughtfulness and attention to detail, making every interaction feel intentional.
“ She helped me build a strategic foundation to get found by the right people. She didn’t just create a logo; she told my story with it.”
"As we worked, my niche and approach were still evolving, and she adapted to those changes with incredible patience and gave me the headspace to gain clarity. What I valued most was her guidance. She listened to the 'vibe' I wanted, but she was also the expert I needed. I loved that she pushed back constructively on my copy to ensure it would actually land with potential clients."
— Cheryl Carreau, Forensic Strategic Advisor