Daruma is now Allaria+
As the Product Designer and UX/UI Design Lead at Allaria+, I led the rebranding of Daruma to Allaria+, focusing on integrating Daruma’s loyal user base with the broader ecosystem of Allaria. This project aimed to preserve the legacy and trust Daruma had built while introducing a refreshed, modern visual identity aligned with Allaria’s established reputation. The challenge was to seamlessly transition users without disrupting their experience, ensuring continuity and driving engagement through a well-executed design and user experience overhaul.
Timeline
Client
Role
Overview
The rebranding of Daruma to Allaria+ marked one of the first major challenges I faced at Allaria+ (formerly Daruma). This initiative was a pivotal moment, as we sought to integrate Daruma’s legacy with the established reputation and broader ecosystem of Allaria, a renowned company in the financial industry.
As the Product Designer and UX/UI Design Lead, I led a multidisciplinary team focused on aligning business objectives with user experience, ensuring a smooth and impactful brand transition.
The problem
The primary challenge was how to transition Daruma’s existing user base to the Allaria+ brand without disrupting their experience or losing their trust. Daruma had built a loyal customer base, but Allaria had a much larger footprint in the financial industry. The task was to harmonize the legacy of Daruma with the modern, professional identity of Allaria, all while increasing platform engagement and transactional activity. Ensuring continuity while introducing significant changes to the brand and user interface posed a delicate balancing act.
Objectives
Seamlessly integrate Daruma into Allaria's product ecosystem, aligning with the company's strong reputation and expanding its presence in the transactional space.
Refresh the platform with a modern, professional visual identity while maintaining user trust and service continuity.
Increase user engagement by enhancing the design and user experience, leading to significant growth in both the user base and transactional activity.
Approach
Research & Discovery: Conducted extensive market research, user interviews, and stakeholder consultations to understand brand perceptions and user expectations.
Design Iterations: Collaborated closely with cross-functional teams to ideate and iterate on visual elements, messaging, and user flows, ensuring alignment with both business goals and user needs.
User Testing: Used prototyping and user testing to gather feedback and validate design decisions, ensuring the final design met user needs and preferences.
Implementation: Worked closely with development teams to translate design concepts into functional digital experiences, overseeing the execution to maintain fidelity to the envisioned brand identity.
Blue is the new orange
A key part of the rebranding was modernizing Allaria’s visual identity while staying true to its core brand elements. Allaria is known for its distinctive blue, which symbolizes trust and professionalism.
For the Allaria+ redesign, we wanted to preserve this iconic blue, but with a fresh twist to make it more dynamic and suitable for the digital world.
We opted for a more electric, vibrant shade of blue that not only aligns with the company’s legacy but also gives the brand a contemporary, digital-friendly feel. This subtle yet impactful color evolution played a crucial role in ensuring the new identity felt modern while still familiar to existing users.
300
600
900
200
200
200
200
User profile panel detail
Outcomes
Seamlessly integrate Daruma into Allaria's product ecosystem, aligning with the company's strong reputation and expanding its presence in the transactional space.
Refresh the platform with a modern, professional visual identity while maintaining user trust and service continuity.
Increase user engagement by enhancing the design and user experience, leading to significant growth in both the user base and transactional activity.
35%
Improved onboarding process
9%
Increase new users