Vuokko Aro and Coral Garvey on Monzo’s design-led move into the mainstream

Rob Alderson: As Monzo grows, how do you decide which elements of the brand and design you keep, and what’s on the table to be changed?

Vuokko Aro: There are things that are very core to us, that we’ll always keep. The extreme customer-centricity – understanding people’s lives and how we can be a part of them. The hot coral colour. Simple, modern product design. Not just being a functional product, but something with an emotional dimension that really connects with people.

In terms of what’s evolved, I guess the obvious thing is we now have bigger budgets. We can do bigger campaigns, with new types of media. This summer we had a Piccadilly Circus takeover…

RA: That’s how you know you’ve made it. Scrappy challenger brands aren’t doing a Piccadilly Circus takeover…

VA: Exactly. We’ve been able to hire specialists, bringing more dimensions of the brand to life, like defining our sonic branding. And we’re constantly pushing the technical boundaries of how we can express ourselves.

Coral Garvey: One thing I think will always evolve are our brand guidelines. They’re a living, breathing entity. My biggest love, and the bane of my existence.

I challenge my team all the time to push. Whether that means how far can we flex, or how can we shrink – stripping things away and finding the clarity, so we can build safely as we expand.

RA: From the outside, it felt like design was always quite central to Monzo, right from the start.

VA: Yeah, I would say so. Both on the card, with the brand colour, and the way the product is designed. We had early success thanks to design, so we’ve been able to point to it as our differentiator, and invest more in it to scale further.

RA: So the company always got the importance of design?

VA: We started from a place of strength, but it wasn’t a given. We’ve been very clear about what really matters, and why it works, and point to all of those success stories.

RA: Do you pay much attention to what the other challenger banks and fintech brands are doing creatively?

CG: I love being up-to-date with any brand – lifestyle, tech, music. I don’t necessarily look at competitors, but it’s great to be tapped into culture. I watch a zillion movies; I’m obsessed with photographers, stylists, artists. I think they all feed into that global machine, as our collective subconscious.

That’s what makes you a really strong creative – being able to harness that energy, cultural nuance, and those insights, and laser focus it to the brand you’re working on, in a strategic way. You have to be tapped in.

VA: We pay a lot of attention to other household consumer brands. It’s such a privilege to work on something like a bank that people use every day, so it has a big space in people’s hearts and minds.

RA: It’s quite a tightrope act, to make something that’s emotional and shows off the actual product?

VA: There were three big elements – the moving image, the music and the UI, which had things we wanted people to read. It was like a puzzle, because all of those had to be sequenced in a way so people can take them in.

RA: The music feels key here, from The Who’s Baba O’ Riley to Wheatus’ Teenage Dirtbag. How did you choose the tracks?

CG: It was very collaborative – there were a lot of group chats throwing songs in, sharing links, “What about this one?” Our team is from all over the world so it was interesting to hear what resonated for different people.

VA: We wanted a collection of timeless bangers that anyone, any age, from any country could connect with.

RA: And what was the thinking behind the out-of-home campaign?

CG: For the past two years, we’ve been building out our art direction approach. This out-of-home was an extension of that, leaning back into our “Money vs Monzo” style. That “Make the logo bigger” client request. Well, we did…

RA: What sort of creative culture have you built at Monzo?

VA: I think we’ve managed to create a team that’s kind and curious. That needs to start with psychological safety. When you share big, bold, new ideas, you have to feel like it’s safe to do that.

The more we can help people feel part of the team – to know each other as people, not just co-workers – the better.

RA: Is it hard to balance honesty in terms of tough feedback, and a kind, supportive environment?

VA: If feedback needs to be given, it’s best to be given early in the process rather than have something go out and have customers tell us we’ve got it wrong.

I try to make people remember that we’re in it together. I’m not swooping in to give feedback; I’m part of it. If things are difficult, I’ll lean in and help solve things.

CG: I think with feedback, the main thing is if you don’t agree with it, explain yourself. “This is why I don’t like it.” That’s super important.

VA: Yeah, framing it as, “How good could it be?” is always more empowering. Inspire people with what it could be.

RA: What advice would you give to creatives who have ambitions to take on senior roles like yours?

VA: People who reach the very top of their careers are obviously very good at what they do. But they’re also the best at regulating their emotions and energy. Focusing on the most important problem to solve, and ignoring the rest. It takes a lot of leading yourself in order to lead a big team.

CG: I sound dated, but your work ethic is extremely important.

And I think empathy is key. Because one, you’re able to tell those stories that resonate. Two, you’re able to listen to others, who have different opinions than your own. And three, you can help guide and support your team if you can understand other people’s perspectives. You can help navigate, instead of bulldozing your way through.

At Monzo, we’re fortunate that it’s ok not to know something. We’re humble – we can ask anyone anything. You’re better than me at that? Great, let’s work together.

VA: Be clear about what you care about, but balance that with the reality that design is not art. You need to work with the team towards a shared goal. Understand the goal, and how you can help achieve it.

There’s a balance between being pragmatic and collaborative but also clear about what’s not negotiable, quality-wise, for you.

Figure out what makes you special compared to everyone else out there, and sharpen it to become uniquely valuable.