Orca Risk and Orca Finance were sister brands serving similar clients, so their leadership merged them into one firm: Orca Group. We ran a full-day workshop with both teams, then built the unified messaging, the identity and a Framer website they run themselves.
Two sister brands, becoming one
Orca Risk and Orca Finance were sister brands in Johannesburg, serving very similar clients and already referring work to each other. Their leadership decided the cleanest way forward was to stop operating as two and become one: a single firm, Orca Group, that could move a client between services without the handover ever showing. They came to ThinkStory for the brand messaging strategy to make that merger real, and for help thinking through how the combined business should look, sound and run.
Two closely-aligned brands that needed to become one without unsettling existing clients
A merger that had to unify both companies' visions, not choose a winner between them
Name, messaging, identity, website and internal processes, all to settle at once
Unifying two visions, not choosing between them
The instinct in a merger is to pick which brand wins. This was never that. Orca Risk and Orca Finance already shared clients and values, so the job was to unify the two visions into one, not to flatten either. We worked through a few naming options with the leadership team and landed on Orca Group, then built a single tone of voice and one messaging strategy that spoke for both sides of the business at once. Both businesses had spent years earning their clients' trust, and none of that could be put at risk in the join.
A full-day workshop, both teams in the room
We ran a full-day workshop with both teams around one table. We went through all of their existing messaging, asked the hard questions, and drew out the values that mattered to each side. From that, we wrote the brand story together and turned it into a brand messaging framework: the reference that now guides how Orca Group communicates everywhere. We were not shy about the operational side either, advising on how some of the processes could run more simply once the two businesses were one. Writing it together was the point: both teams left owning the same story, not one imposed on the other.
Mapping the messaging at the wall, both teams in the roomThe Orca Group brand story, written with both teams
One identity, one website, one system
Alongside the messaging, we refreshed the brand: a new colour palette, typeface and an overall design system, so everything Orca Group produces looks like one company. We built their new website on Framer, chosen so the Orca team can run and update it themselves without coming back to us. The design system reaches past the site, giving them the rules to build their own slide decks, email signatures, investor pitches and sales decks, all consistently on-brand.
The new Orca website, built on Framer for the team to run themselves
Built to run themselves
Orca Group came out of it as one brand with one voice, a website they own, and a design system that keeps everything they make consistent, from a pitch to an email footer. Pieter, Diani and Albert lead a business that now reads as a single firm rather than two stitched together, and the clients who trusted Orca Risk and Orca Finance moved across without noticing a seam. Two brands became one, and it holds.
Common questions.
How do you merge two brands without losing client trust?
Unify the two visions rather than choosing between them. Orca Risk and Orca Finance were sister brands with shared clients, so for Orca Group we ran a full-day workshop with both teams, wrote one brand story and messaging framework for the merged firm, and kept what each side valued, so clients moved across without noticing a change.
What is a brand messaging framework?
It is the agreed set of words a business uses to describe what it does, who it helps and how it sounds. For Orca Group it unified two brands into one voice: a single tone, one brand story, and a reference both former teams could write from consistently.
Do you build the website as part of a rebrand?
Yes. Once the messaging and identity were set, we built Orca Group a new website on Framer, chosen so the team can run and update it themselves, then extended the design system to their slide decks, email signatures and pitch materials.
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Working with the ThinkStory team on the Orca website was an exceptional experience. Even after the launch of the ORCA website, they've been super responsive and supportive.
As the Brand Assistant & Digital Marketer, any time I've needed to make updates on the site and was unsure of how, they've helped quickly and without any hassle.
Their support is practical, clear, and user-friendly. They are always ready to offer timely advice and guide me through the process to make sure everything is the best it could be.
I will strongly recommend Matt and the team.
Jané VisserDigital MarketerOrca Consulting
Partnering with ThinkStory was a seamless process from start to finish. They took the time to find and understand the heart of our business, offering thoughtful guidance that helped us sharpen our messaging and elevate our brand presence online.
Their responsiveness was exceptional, handling any queries swiftly, which made the process feel effortless. ThinkStory truly added value at every stage with smart strategic suggestions and clear communication.
The final website reflects our vision better than what we have imagined, professional, intuitive, and aligned with our brand. We're proud of the result and would highly recommend ThinkStory to anyone looking for a reliable, insightful, and creative partner.
Every great brand needs to tell their story and craft their identity, and every great story needs a storyteller who gets the plot, understands the characters, and isn't afraid to challenge the script when needed. Enter ThinkStory: not just brand developers, but creative co-authors in the truest sense.
From page one, they didn't try to rewrite who we are. They leaned in with a cup of coffee, listened, asked the right questions, and helped us shape a narrative that feels authentic, compelling, and future-focused.
Faster than we could say "plot twist.": Every request for changes, tweaks or tonal shifts was met with speed, care and precision.
And like any good writing partner, they didn't just wait for instructions. They offered guidance, shared insight, and gently nudged the storyline in a clear, brand-focused direction when needed. Their input was always thoughtful, always helpful, always in service of the brand and the story.
The final draft? We're thrilled. It's a brand narrative that's true to who we are, where we're going, and the impact we want to make. It feels like us, just sharper, clearer, and more powerful on the page (and in the market). If your brand is ready to tell a better story, build a brand identity or simply understand the brand industry and social platforms better, ThinkStory is the team you want in your writer's room.
Diani Van GraanCo-Founder & DirectorOrca Consulting
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