A changing tide

Tide is the go-to banking platform for independent business owners, offering a level of support small companies can’t find anywhere else. With rapid growth came a new challenge: defining what Tide meant culturally, so every new office around the world could reflect their unique brand essence.

Motive worked closely with Tide teams worldwide to uncover exactly who they are and how their spaces should bring that identity to life. The result? Tide’s Global Workplace Brand Standards – guidelines that unify and elevate every Tide location through thoughtful office branding.

From fintech to feel-good clubhouse

Not long after, the London team urgently needed a new space that better supported their post-pandemic way of working. At the time, Tide was remote-first and wanted their office to serve as a benefit, not an obligation.

Teaming up with fit-out firm AIS, Motive created a space that felt more like a members club than a typical fintech office. Its main goal was to inspire diverse thinking, spark creativity, and start new conversations – all while staying true to Tide’s three core values: One Team, Members First, and Data Driven.

A brand built to move people

Right from the entrance, visitors are greeted by the Tide ‘welcome hug’: a branded installation that displays Tide’s bank cards alongside a greeting monitor. The card display, crafted by Tide members The Poured Project, subtly reinforces the ‘Members First’ value.

As you meander through the office, you notice multiple pathways that encourage chance encounters. A ‘Data Driven’ AI model shaped the central ‘social thread,’ designed to increase the odds of people crossing paths and collaborating. This spatial choreography helps bring Tide’s ‘One Team’ to life through spontaneous moments of play and conversation – something everyone missed during the Covid days.

The ‘pass n play’ area offers interactive games that anyone can join, no matter how often they use the space. Brand-specific neon signage highlights Tide’s members, while the Kudos wall gives people a chance to showcase their talents, side hustles, and appreciation for colleagues. Even an animal-friendly station invites everyone to pause for paws.

Brand, brought to life sustainably

Sustainability also played a big role. The breakout area’s refill stations were built entirely from reclaimed materials. Meeting room partitions feature hand-sprayed manifestations to avoid non-recyclable vinyl. Even the waste signage was customised with Tide’s own illustration style to guide proper disposal.

A space that feels like home (but better)

Tide’s London HQ strikes a balance that’s hard to find. It’s established yet welcoming – not glossy tech, not scrappy startup. It doesn’t simply paint the walls the bluest Tide blue. Instead, it celebrates entrepreneurial spirit with all the comfort of home and the polished feel of a members club.