Blog
How to Choose a Retail Store Design Agency for Multi-Location Rollouts
Uncover essential insights on Retail Rollout strategies, including the importance of choosing a dedicated agency partner for success…
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How ZAKU Knives Elevates Experience Using the Blink Factor
How do you elevate an everyday product? Explore how ZAKU Knives in Tokyo turns ordinary kitchen tools into a memorable retail experiences…
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Sustainability or AI Won’t Drive the Next Packaging Revolution. It Will Be Driven by Prescription Drugs
Learn how GLP-1 medications are changing grocery shopping habits and what it means for the future of packaging design…
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5 Activations Elevating The FIFA Fan Experience
Explore 5 immersive brand activations taking over the 2026 World Cup host cities and elevating the fan experience outside the stadiums…
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Winning Hearts in Foodservice: Why Visibility and Basic Service Are No Longer Enough
Learn how foodservice brands can build true customer connections and future-proof their strategy…
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The Emotional Gap in AI Content Creation
AI slop is rising, and consumer trust is falling. Explore how brands can harness AI without losing their human emotional truth…
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Telcos are Measuring the Wrong Things: Why Return on Experience Matter More Than Ever
Discover why telecom brands are tracking the wrong metrics for growth. Learn how shifting from traditional ROI to Return on Experience (ROX)…
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Navigating the New “Local”: Nationalism in a Global Community
In our 2026 SLD Trends Report, we identify how nationalism is influencing the way people trust and choose brands. Shoppers are looking…
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The New Telco Growth Bundle: Emotional Connections, AI, and Seamless Experience
Meet the "AI-ready" consumer. Learn why the next era of telco growth depends on blending algorithmic speed with human-centric, community-first branding…
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Friday Night Light Outs: How Restaurants, Performance Venues, and Nightclubs Can Get Gen Z to Enjoy a Night on the Town
The nightlife economy is taking a hit as Gen Z trades clubs for nights in. Discover the drivers behind this shift and…
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Top Blink Factor Design Moments of 2025: The Year’s Standout
Explore the biggest Blink Factor moments of 2025, from pop culture and fashion to ritual and spectacle, and see how visual impact…
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What were SLD’s favorite brand redesigns of 2025?
SLD designers share their favorite brand design stories of 2025, revealing how logos, color, and simplicity build trust and connection…
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Think Ahead for 2026: What Undercurrents Beyond Trends Brands Need to Know
Learn the key shifts redefining consumer behaviour in 2026 and how brands can adapt with AI collaboration, micro-communities, cultural insight, and emotional…
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Winning the Moment: How Brands Use Seasonal Occasions to Spark Connection
Seasonal moments can be emotional touchpoints that invite consumers into a shared celebration. Whether it's a limited-edition drop or festive packaging design…
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How Community-Driven Retail Design Is Redefining Brand Differentiation
Today’s consumers want to feel aligned with the brands they buy from. They want to see brands celebrate creativity and build experiences…
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Trust by Design: How CPG Can Effectively Communicate Sustainability in an Era of Skepticism
Design must go beyond surface-level signals to deliver tangible proof of a brand's environmental efforts. This blog explores key design strategies that…
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Designing for Diversity: Why Inclusive Branding Is More Than Just Representation
In this blog we explore the concept of inclusive branding, the pros and cons of adopting it, and some examples of brands…
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What the Blind Box Craze Reveals: How Consumers Make Decisions
Blind boxes spark nostalgia, deliver surprise, and leverage the Blink Factor by prompting quick, emotional decisions, proving how a single, well-designed moment…
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How to meet patients’ emotional needs in healthcare
Our work in transforming healthcare brand experiences for organizations around the globe and our ThinkBlink transformation process reinforced the importance and impact…
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What Keeps Customers Walking Into Branches
Today’s most forward-thinking banks are transforming their branches into relationship-driven spaces, blending intuitive design with technology and service strategies that put people…
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The “Better For You” Revolution: How CPG Brands Are Winning Hearts Through Emotional Repositioning
The BFY movement's success isn't about healthier ingredients but emotional transformation. People loved the taste, but consuming full sugar items like sodas…
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Why Established Brands Are Losing to Messier Competitors
We see the anti-brand strategy commonly adopted among smaller, indie brands. These niche, often digital-first companies are carving out loyal followings and…
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How to Successfully Offer Health Services at Retail Pharmacies
Healthcare systems around the world are struggling to meet the need of patients. In this blog, we explore how pharmacies can successfully…
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Customers Decide in Seconds. Here’s What’s Actually Driving That Decision.
Explore how to use shape and color choices to influence buying decisions and enhance your brand's visual appeal…
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The Role of Social Commerce in CPG: Designing for the Scroll, Click, and Buy Journey
As the line between social media and e-commerce gradually blurs, social platforms aren't influencing buying decisions they’re becoming the shelf. Learn how…
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How Can Design Help Retailers Reduce Theft?
In this blog we discuss how design is a key component of loss prevention…
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How To Turn Around Poor Customer Service In Retail
In this blog we’ll explore why service is declining, and what retail brands can do to get back on track…
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Unexpected Collaborations
What are the trends we can expect in 2025 and what will lose momentum? Here are our predictions for the coming year…
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Open Banking Isn’t Coming. It’s Already Reshaping What Branches Are For.
As we enter the next decade, Open Banking will accelerate from the regulatory to the implementation stages in North America. Learn how…
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Package Design In 2025 – What’s Hot and What’s Not
What are the trends we can expect in 2025 and what will lose momentum? Here are our predictions for the coming year…
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The Best New Retail Stores of 2024
There were many notable retail experiences launched around the globe, ranging from high-end luxury to highly accessible. Here are a selection of…
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Think Ahead for 2025: What Undercurrents Beyond Trends Brands Need to Know
For 2025 we’ve identified five new signals of change marketers should heed…
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Website Design and The Blink Factor
In this blog, we'll explore the science behind first impressions and their effect on consumer behavior, how this applies to website design…
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Decoding Nostalgia: Why Brands Are Looking Backward
In this blog, we'll explore why nostalgia resonates so deeply with consumers, how it can be leveraged through strategic design…
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The Top Trends in Brand Strategy and Positioning
This blog will explore the top trends shaping brand strategy in 2024 and how they can direct your business toward new success…
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Stores Don’t Just Sell Anymore. The Best Ones Make You Feel Something.
In this blog, we introduce some of the latest trends in novelty retail experiences and explore how they may be shaping the…
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Future Of Cash in Retail Banking: Notes From Cash in USA Conference October 2024
The Cash in the USA conference, held on October 22nd in Nashville, explored cash's current and future role in retail banking. The…
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What Not To Automate: A retailer’s guide to smarter service experiences
In this blog we’ll explore key aspects of the customer experience where a human touch is needed…
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How the Huberman Podcast is Influencing Retail
In the retail sector, hot trends in healthy lifestyles are changing certain categories and creating new ones. In today’s blog, we’ll explore…
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The Impact of Exterior Signage on Customer Connection
Exterior signage is your brand's calling card to the world. It’s a simple element with a massive impact—a visual cue that tells…
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Elevating The Banking Customer Experience: Notes from the 2024 ICX/BCX Summit
At the 2024 Networld Media Group Banking Customer Experience Summit in Charlotte, experts gathered to discuss how AI, sustainability, and evolving consumer…
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How Dentists Are Leading The Way in Healthcare Clinic Design
In this blog, we introduce four beautiful examples of dental clinic design, and explore each of the different design strategies and the…
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Apple AI, Let’s Get Personal
we explore how Apple Intelligence can offer brands innovative ways to engage with their consumers…
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Five Signs it’s Time to Update Your Packaging Design
In this blog, we will discuss the five signs that it might be time to update your packaging and what to watch…
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How Private Labels Can Capitalize on Value-Based Grocery Shopping
In an uncertain economy, grocery stores have a unique opportunity to win over customers through pricing as food costs continue to increase…
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How to Deal with FOP Warning Labels and What to Expect
This blog discusses insights from countries that have implemented packaging regulations to help consumers make healthier choices. We also ask the SLD…
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Creating an Inclusive Environment that Appeals to Gen Z
Exploring what aspects of retail design matter the most to Gen Z and how retailers can capitalize on the opportunity, creating brand…
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Unlocking Consumer Insights: Best Practices and Tips for Effective Design Concept Research
In this blog, we’ll explore effective best practices and tips for successful design concept research…
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Key Takeaways from the WBR Future Branches Conference: Strategies for Branch Evolution and Customer Engagement
The Future Branches Conference discussed strategies for staying relevant in a competitive landscape. Learn more about our takeaways from the conference including…
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Why Inclusive Store Design Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage
Creating accessible environments is crucial for success in retail. Read our latest blog for current perceptions towards accessible retail and strategies for…
Read More » The Power of Puzzle-Solving and Lotteries for CPG Brands
Explore how puzzle-solving and lotteries can help CPG brands. Learn why these two gamification formats intrigue consumers when it comes to branded…
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How Supermarket Brands Can Make Grocery Shopping Fun
Grocery retailers fared better than most through the past five years: despite the pandemic, supply chain disruptions, global conflicts, and inflation, supermarkets…
Read More » Six Things That Banks Should Avoid During Customer Experience Transformation
Discover the critical mistakes banks must avoid during Customer Experience (CX) transformation to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving financial market…
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Is Retail Banking Ready For AI-Driven Advice?
Explore the importance of trust and human interaction in AI-driven financial advice. Learn more about how AI could enhance CX with human…
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Retail Design: The Power of Exterior (Re)branding
Elevate your retail exterior with impactful design tips to boost brand presence and foot traffic. Explore strategies for attracting customers day and…
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The Benefits of Rebranding Your Non-profit Organization or Charity
Discover the power of rebranding for non-profits & charities. Increase relevance, engagement, & unity across sub-brands to foster stakeholder connections…
Read More » How Legacy Brands Can Become Relevant Again
Discover and learn from how legacy brands like Levi's, Old Spice, and Adidas regained relevance through perception shift and heritage leverage…
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5 Great Examples of Bank Branch Design
Explore different bank branch design in the world. Discover how the trend moves from transactional to experiential with thoughtful design elements…
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What Global Telecom Retailers Are Getting Right
Explore great telecom retail design from around the world. Learn about the challenges and discover what design elements make a store stands…
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The Future of Loyalty Programs
Unlock the future of loyalty programs: personalized rewards, finance partnerships, generosity, and premium tiers. Stay ahead with innovative strategies…
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