Bank of Montreal has unveiled the next phase of its unified marketing and brand identity including the new umbrella name – BMO Financial Group. New signage in the bank’s retail branches kicked off a major rollout directed to the bank’s employees, customers and shareholders.

Now all of BMO’s businesses, products and services – which include retail banking, wealth management, investment banking and the corporate organization – are united under a common identity.

This new direction began two and a half years ago when the bank brought together its investment banking and wealth-management businesses, including BMO Nesbitt Burns, BMO Mutual Funds and BMO InvestorLine, under a unified identity program. At the time, BMO’s various businesses were being marketed through different groups within the organization, resulting in a fragmented identity and image in the marketplace.

The customer rollout earlier this week began with new signage in key locations, and a new look on the BMO’s internet sites. Later this fall, the financial organization will begin a multi-media advertising campaign featuring the unified identity.