Translating a Nordic vision of innovation into a dynamic brand

Keto is a Finnish software company with an AI-assisted Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM) platform for large enterprises. It gives leaders real-time data and insights to see which projects are delivering value and where to invest next.

The name “Keto” means “meadow,” symbolizing an ecosystem for innovation. However, their brand wasn’t fully expressing this vision. With aspirations to win larger clients against competitors like Microsoft and ServiceNow, Keto needed a credible brand that reflected their Nordic values of openness, trust, and calm confidence. Our challenge was to distill the meadow concept into a modern and distinctive identity.

We partnered with Keto’s leadership to evolve the meadow from a static metaphor into a dynamic brand system, rooted in the brand idea of “Grounded in change.” Over 14 weeks, we parallel-tracked a new brand identity, website, and sales tools.

We created a new word mark, typographic symbol, system graphics, and brand guidelines. Collaborating with CGI artist Mel Zahar, we developed dynamic illustrations that brought the meadow to life with a look unique to the tech world.

The new website features a simplified user experience that effectively surfaces Keto’s core value proposition. This web experience, in turn, directly informed a new sales presentation to clearly communicate the platform’s value.

Ten months after Keto’s refreshed brand debuted, we checked in with their Chief Revenue Officer, Stephanie McSwiney, to find out how it was performing both internally and in the market. We were thrilled to hear that our efforts had supported a significant shift in Keto’s perception as a company, with Keto now presenting as mature, enterprise-ready, and better aligned to their target customers, partners, and opportunities. She also noted that Keto now stands out from larger and more established competitors, with a brand that clearly presents their distinctive point of view. That’s helped prospects, partners and industry analysts to quickly recognize Keto’s relevance and ambitions.

In practice, the brand system is providing Keto a scalable foundation across its website, content, events and social presence. While the upgraded Keto product design and UI have strengthened the customer experience with easier navigation and stronger cohesion as a branded product. Internal teams have also benefited from the new, unified expression of Keto’s culture and vision, one that’s easy to communicate and exciting to get behind. And for the sales and marketing teams specifically, they’ve been able to use their new set of tools with consistency and confidence.

Most importantly, we heard that the refreshed brand is both transforming the company’s public perception and bringing team members and customers on board to where Keto is heading as a fast-growing business.