Branding and New Website

Winner of national AAM-MAA award for new accounting industry logos.


Mahoney Ulbrich Christiansen & Russ wanted a brand that reflected their modern, youthful and growing CPA firm. Based out of St. Paul, Minnesota, firm leaders decided it was time for a brand refresh and new website shortly before one of the last founding partners retired. Historically, their connections in the Twin Cities real estate industry fueled growth, but the firm’s partners saw opportunity for service diversification as a broader regional market position.

It was time to address a possible new name and rebrand, including updated visuals and competitive messaging to support the firm’s growth and marketing strategy. In 2019, they worked with a growth consultant to help the firm determine their business goals and leadership direction. With that in place, Mahoney was ready to work with Ingenuity to create their new brand and a website that communicated their goals and growth opportunities.

REBRAND Strategy

Ingenuity interviewed clients and the leadership team to understand the firm’s culture, strengths and goals for the future. We also conducted competitive messaging to assure differentiation. Then, we used our naming strategy to conclude that the firm’s brand name should be shortened to Mahoney. Derived from an Anglicized Gaelic surname, Mahoney stands for strength through its association with the word “mathghamhan,” which means, “bear”. This attribute of strength fit the firm’s branding messages, which include Mahoney’s well-regarded reputation in real estate and not-for-profit organizations and their depth for solving technical problems in a collaborative environment. Mahoney’s new brand was created using this definition to showcase the firm’s positivity, strong reputation and collaboration.

We created a modern logo emphasizing bold colors of teal, orange and fuchsia with an abstract bear claw glyph. Ingenuity also created a new tagline for Mahoney that universally communicates their aspirations for clients and their team – Be the Next.

WEBSITE REDESIGN

Mahoney wanted a website that could serve as a resource hub for clients specifically within the not-for-profit and real estate industries, but also focused on their emerging niche in client accounting services (CAS). A new website with modern functionality was needed to continuously share and update the latest information for their clients in real time.

The old MUCR website did not provide a visitor with very much information about the firm and was not optimized for visitor search. The new website’s navigation and SEO strategy beautifully display the Mahoney brand and their bold and innovative approach to business solutions. The website tells the important history of the firm, highlights employees and guides a visitor through specific calls to action. Modern website features were used to make the latest resources and data available to clients in niche industries.

RESULTS

Mahoney’s leadership team was closely involved in the website redesign, and they approved the final deliverable in April 2021. They love the easy flow of the copy, the storytelling, attention to detail and the modern design that draws new clients. Ongoing SEO improvements and fresh content will continue to improve search results and move Mahoney to a stronger search position for the services they provide to the Twin Cities and beyond.

In May 2021, Mahoney was awarded a national Marketing Achievement Award from the Association for Accounting Marketing for their new logo. This prestigious industry award speaks to Mahoney’s new brand positioning to launch niche marketing activities under a consistent set of branding messages and visuals. Clients and talent are attracted to CPA firms with a strong, modern brand, and this brand pops.

CHECK OUT OUR UNIQUE BRANDING SERVICES

“We are beyond pleased with the final results. Our team is excited about the future and our ability to promote this brand to our clients, prospects and future team members. Plus, Ingenuity continues to guide our marketing goals for growth and visibility. It’s a great working relationship.”

– Roz Allyson, Managing Partner
Mahoney CPAs