Sponsored Editorial

Mortgage Matters, a network of mortgage advisors serving all of the UK with more than 25 years of industry experience and a five-star Trustpilot rating, has unveiled a head-turning new brand.

With a playful yet knowledgeable mascot named Seymour, the rebrand signals a fresh chapter for the company while reinforcing its long-standing values of reliability, trustworthiness, and honesty.

Luke Salmon, head of marketing at Wards, Kent’s biggest estate agent and the company behind Mortgage Matters, shares his insights into the journey and vision driving the transformation.

WHO ARE MORTGAGE MATTERS?

Mortgage Matters is a network of mortgage advisors founded in 2000. With 25 years of experience, we’ve earned a five-star Trustpilot rating based on over 4,500 reviews. We pride ourselves on delivering expert advice that helps customers avoid costly mistakes and unnecessary stress, saving them time and money.

WHAT IS THE HISTORY BEHIND MORTGAGE MATTERS?

Originally known as Mortgage Matters Direct, the business was built with core values of reliability, trustworthiness, and honesty — values that remain at the heart of what we do today. Over the last 25 years, we’ve seen the market evolve and the world has changed a lot, and it was time for us to adapt while staying true to our founding principles.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO REBRAND?

We’ve always seen ourselves as different from other mortgage advisors, but our brand didn’t reflect that. We looked like an off-the-shelf company. Our advisors are special — a cut above the rest — and it was time their image matched their expertise. That's why, although this is a radical rebrand, it was important for us not to remove all attachments to the previous brand. By simply removing ‘Direct’ from our name, we modernised and simplified our image whilst maintaining our strong roots.

HOW DOES THE REBRAND ALIGN WITH YOUR COMPANY’S VISION AND GOALS?

We spent a lot of time reflecting on how we want to be seen by our customers. Words like ‘forward-thinking’, ‘great vision’, ‘experienced’ and ‘knowledgeable’ came up repeatedly. We needed something that captured those traits, and that’s how we landed on the wise owl — the perfect representation of our advisors’ expertise and insight.

WHAT IS THE CORE STORY OR MESSAGE BEHIND THE REBRAND?

We definitely want to ruffle some feathers with this rebrand — sorry! We’re thinking differently. Mortgage advisors can be dull and predictable, but that’s not who we are. Our new look and message are bold and modern, just like our approach to mortgages.

WHO IS SEYMOUR?

Seymour, or Seymour Mortgages, is our brand-new mascot. He perfectly embodies our values. Mortgages can feel intimidating, but Seymour immediately softens that perception, disarming any worries and showing our customers that they aren’t dealing with just any other stuffy mortgage company.

HOW DO YOU WANT CUSTOMERS TO FEEL WHEN THEY INTERACT WITH THE NEW BRAND?

Mortgages are a serious business, but that doesn’t mean the process has to be stressful. Our fantastic five-star Trustpilot rating and the fact that we charge no upfront fees (a small £595 fee is only payable upon completion) are reasons to celebrate. We’ve binned off the generic stock photos and are using AI-generated imagery to capture the joy our customers feel when working with us. Our tone of voice, Seymour and our fresh new look will all work together to show customers right away that we’re different.

WHO IS YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE?

Our target audience includes anyone who needs a mortgage — first-time buyers, home-movers, and landlords. That said, this rebrand was built with 25- to 40-year-olds in mind, as they make up more than 80% of the first-time buyer market*. By forming strong connections early and offering free remortgaging for as long as you live at the property, our aim is to be your mortgage advisor for life.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO MENTION?

I’m really proud of this project and all the work my team has put in to bring it together. It’s been a labour of love, reimagining a 25-year-old business to stand out in a busy industry and, after 18 months of work, it’s hard to believe we’re finally here! We have big plans for Seymour and Mortgage Matters over the next decade, and we’re excited for the world to meet the new us.

Mortgage Matters provides 5-star mortgage and protection advice to customers all across the UK. Find out more at their new website www.mortgagematters.co.uk.

*Source: 150+ UK first-time buyer statistics 2024 (www.uswitch.com/mortgages/first-time-buyer-statistics)