Branding against the cycle: Exactly Protocol
How Postdigitalist helped Exactly Protocol build a long-lasting identity and user experience that stood apart from fintech clichés
The Challenge
In 2021, the DeFi space was flooded with a new wave of Ethereum-based protocols—each claiming to “revolutionize finance,” each wrapped in indistinguishable branding. Gradient purples, babyish fonts, cartoon mascots. The aesthetic default was frictionless, friendly—and forgettable.
Exactly Protocol had other ambitions. Fresh off their seed round, they came to us with a bold idea: to build a crypto-native lending platform with the design seriousness of institutional finance. They didn’t want cute—they wanted credibility.
They needed a brand, a product interface, and a launch narrative that made it clear they weren’t here to follow cycles. They were here to outlast them.
The cultural context: At the time, fintech branding was in its “corporate memphis era.” Even DeFi projects that handled billions in assets were leaning into juvenile visual languages, hoping to signal friendliness or accessibility.
But users were beginning to look for substance beneath the playfulness. Protocols with real economic utility needed identities that signaled durability, not gimmickry.
The stakes: Exactly didn’t just need a nice-looking interface—they needed to convince a skeptical, high-signal audience that they were building something structurally sound and long-term relevant. Their brand needed to inspire trust, not trendiness. Their MVP needed to be functional, but also narratively tight.
Our Strategic Approach: P²X for DeFi Differentiation
Predict
Decode the cultural undercurrents shaping your market before competitors notice the surface waves.
Plan
Build stories that feel inevitable by positioning your innovation within emerging cultural conversations.
Execute
Launch narratives that resonate authentically, turning market entry into cultural participation.
Manage
Maintain narrative relevance through ongoing cultural intelligence and strategic adaptation.
Predict
We saw early signs of aesthetic fatigue in crypto design: serious users were craving clarity and maturity. Our trend analysis pointed toward a shift from maximalist, cartoonish branding to more timeless, sober visual languages—especially in financial applications.
Plan
We architected a brand identity system based on elegance, restraint, and modularity. We avoided fintech clichés and focused on credibility-by-design. At the same time, we worked with Exactly to define a user experience and pitch narrative that reflected the product’s economic clarity—not just its technical novelty.
Execute
We delivered:
- A visual identity grounded in understated elegance, defying market clichés
- A full UX design for the MVP, optimized for clarity and usability
- A product keynote deck to present the MVP and articulate the protocol’s value logic
Every layer—from the color palette to the interface microcopy—was designed to signal one thing: this protocol is here to stay.
Scope of Partnership
- Visual Identity Design: Anti-cyclical brand identity focused on trust and maturity
- User Experience Design: MVP interface designed for clarity and intuitive use
- Product Narrative: Launch keynote and messaging refined for protocol literacy and investor clarity
The client's perspective
"The outcome was super positive with end users and investors praising the UX/UI of our web3 app. Their workflow was excellent. They demonstrated dedication, accountability, quality, and approachability."
Results
- Enduring Brand Recognition: Despite evolving product and market shifts, Exactly’s brand identity remains unchanged to this day
- Increased Adoption: Continued growth through subsequent funding rounds and product launches
- Narrative Clarity: MVP presentation positioned Exactly as a credible player in a noisy ecosystem
The Postdigitalist Differential
Branding for Longevity: We don’t chase trends—we build foundations. Exactly’s identity didn’t just stand out in 2021—it still stands up today.
Narrative UX: We treated the MVP not just as a product demo, but as a user-facing argument for a better lending mechanism.
Design as Positioning: While others followed aesthetic fashion, we helped Exactly signal its strategic contrarianism through design.
Long-Term Impact
Exactly has grown, evolved, and launched multiple product iterations. But the brand we created—its logic, its tone, its visual architecture—has remained intact. It still performs under pressure. It still tells the right story.
Strategic Lesson: In high-volatility markets, the most powerful brand move is to act like you’re already on the other side of the cycle.