The world continues to struggle to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, and in its wake, consumer behavior, and therefore, brand service design, is being rewired. The good news is the recent announcements by Pfizer Inc. and Moderna regarding the viability of their vaccines energized financial markets and provided a much-needed sign of hope. The race to […]
What Brands Can Learn from the COVID-19 Vaccine Trials Read More »
It is no longer a surprise that Fintech firms are shaking up the financial service industry. The most recent example is Ant Group, who has been making news for a potential record-breaking IPO, which some analysts believe could surpass $35 billion USD. Though the offering is currently on hold as the company responds to changing
What Ant Group’s IPO Could Mean for Retail Banks Read More »
https://www.sld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/IndustBank.mp4 The Art of Balance Adding human connection to the equation. CLIENT Industrial Bank PROJECT Branch Omnichannel Design RELATED SERVICE Retail Design Service Design Brand Strategy Innovation Digital Signage THINK In the move towards digital banking the emotional connection with customers is often neglected. Industrial Bank, a Fortune Global 500 company and the first Chinese
Humber College’s Interior Design students typically participate in an international competition that involves cash prizes in their final year. This year, due to COVID-19, the event was cancelled leaving a gap in their final programming. Professor Zaiba Mian reached out to SLD’s VP of Branded Environments, Beverley Wells, to see if we could step up
SLD Sponsors Humber College Design Competition Read More »
Networld Media Group, a B2B publishing enterprise, has announced a partnership with Shikatani Lacroix Design (SLD), a brand design firm that delivers transformational change for their clients, to offer an exclusive master series on how to transform the bank customer experience. Titled Customer Experience 4.0 Master Series, the e-learning program will feature nine video courses
SLD and Networld Media Group Partner for E-Learning Series Read More »
Any business that relies on bringing people together has been forced to pivot quickly in 2020. In some cases, innovation and resilience has shone through. In other cases, a lack of preparedness had meant closures and bankruptcies. At SLD, we have decided to take a longer view of how current trends and events have altered
Using Strategic Foresight to Understand the Future of Large Gatherings Read More »
We recently highlighted the relationship between behavioral finance, a banks’ brand strategy, and how prospect theory changes our perception of experience design. Now we will continue to explore the topic of brand strategy based on customers’ behavior patterns. Are Your Customers Rational or Irrational? Probably Both. Traditional business analysis assumes that consumers and other market
How Banks Can Appeal to Both Rational and Irrational Customers Read More »
Digital transformation was something retail organizations and financial institutions were already talking about before COVID hit. The pandemic has accelerated the trend and brought with it more challenges that were not anticipated. While brands have adopted many makeshift processes and systems to address these needs, companies are now wondering what’s going to stick after the
Digital Ecosystems and the Future of Retail and Banking Read More »
From the growth of online-only retail platforms and Fintechs to a global pandemic that has pushed many customers online, it is no secret that the retail and banking industries are at a crossroads. As new technologies emerge, SLD and JohnRyan have conducted an extensive study among retail and bank executives to better understand the new direction
THINK FUTURE: How Digital Ecosystems Will Change Retail and Banking Read More »
Any branded environment tells a story and a big part of that story is visual. Today, we’re talking to Cybelle Jones, CEO of SEGD, a not-for-profit professional organization for designers from all over the world who focus on shaping content-rich experiential spaces. Trained as an architect, she’s worked on many projects that involve historical and
How Experiential Design Can Help Tell Your Brand Story Read More »
Rebranding is a risky business. Done well, it can dynamically change the future of a company. Done wrong, it can be an embarrassing public relations snafu and seriously harm your brand equity. But doing nothing is not an option. Consumers are changing, the market is changing – brands have to change too. The question is,
What Type of Rebrand is Right for Your Brand? Read More »
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digital transformation initiatives by financial institutions and retailers, bringing the need for a robust digital ecosystem to the forefront. In a study we recently conducted with over 500 banking and retail executives, we have seen that though many realize a digital transformation is essential, there is still some confusion as
The Shift to Digital Ecosystems Read More »
Commercial banks operate in a buyer’s market. Since products and services of commercial banks are highly homogenous, banks find themselves trapped in a semi-perfect competition market, where they might be forced to play the price war, leading to dwindling profit margins. All banks hope to break free from this trap through differentiation and in offering
Using Behavioral Theory to Improve Bank Customer Experience Read More »
What is around the next corner? Another pandemic? A trade war? Fully autonomous vehicles? While the possibilities may seem overwhelming, the brands that properly prepare for the unknowns of the future will be better equipped to withstand any unexpected occurrences. All one has to do is look at the numerous bankruptcies and closures due to COVID-19
SLD’s Guide To Future-Proofing Your Organization Read More »
Today, we’re talking about cash. Is it going to go away completely? Is it unhygienic? Should retailers still allow cash payments, or is it okay to push consumers towards cards and digital-only? Today, our President Jean-Pierre Lacroix is talking to David Fagleman, Director at Enryo, a consultancy firm in the UK that helps support financial services in
Will COVID-19 Be The Demise of Cash? Read More »
Over recent years, most financial institutions have embraced mobile apps as a way to provide better service and convenience for their customers. In 2019, over 75 percent of Americans said that they used their mobile device to check their bank account, and as COVID-19 has forced branches to temporarily close, the number is even higher for 2020. However, simply
Super Apps and the Future of Banking Read More »
Brainstorming is a practice that most businesses need to employ from time to time, but it’s not as simple as just getting a bunch of people together with a whiteboard and some sticky notes. It’s a real skill. It requires a lot of preparation, guidance, structure and a plan. You need to be able to
Tips for Running a Successful Brainstorm Session Read More »
COVID-19 has significantly impacted almost all major industries, including foodservice, banking, retail and CPG by slowing down some aspects of day to day operations while accelerating others; for example technology adoption. These disruptions have also affected consumer perceptions about the future and therefore are changing their shopping preferences. Our recent studies clearly identified that consumers are
The Two Customer Personas of COVID-19 Read More »
2020 will surely be remembered for a lot of things. From a global pandemic to growing social movements, 2020 has presented enormous obstacles as well as opportunities for those that rise to the challenge. For financial institutions, one way to take advantage of these opportunities for transformation is through 5G. Some experts estimate that within five years,
How 5G Will Change the Banking Industry Read More »
Design Thinking is a term that many of us have heard, but what exactly does it mean, and how can financial brands benefit from this approach? Today we’re speaking with Janet Jones, a design thinker with an incredible range of experience in design, strategy, and innovation about design thinking for financial brands. Janet’s experience includes
Design Thinking and the Future of Banking Read More »
