Banks have been slow to adopt what is often referred to as content marketing, or content strategy – but now that the return on investment is becoming clear, it’s important for financial institutions to catch up. What exactly IS content strategy, and why do banks need to make this investment? Content strategy is the planning, […]
Why a Content Strategy for Banks is Important Read More »
The role of banks as financial service providers continues to be threatened by start-ups and tech giants who are offering services in areas underserved by traditional banks. How can established financial institutions combat this trend? In this white paper, we look at how banks will need to embrace change in order to stay relevant, and why understanding consumer
How Banks Can Leverage a Walletless World Read More »
The term “cult brand” describes any brand that sparks obsessive, fanatical loyalty in their customers. But how much do cult brands really resemble actual cults? Is there something in human behavior that drives this kind of fanatical response? In this white paper you will learn: What brands can learn from cult and tribe psychology What
Cult Brands and How to Build One Read More »
In today’s highly competitive and quickly-changing banking industry, the pressure is on for banks to prove their relevancy to their customers and outperform their competition. Banks today understand the critical need to connect with customers emotionally and to develop services to fulfill their unmet needs. And yet, innovation can be a difficult process to nurture
How Financial Institutions Can Drive Innovative Culture Read More »
There are more than 21,000 creative professionals in the top three largest cities in North America alone. When you factor in all mid to large cities in North America, it’s daunting for any company to select a strategic design agency to tackle their packaging brand transformation. A key factor in selecting the right firm is
Key Considerations When Vetting Your Strategic Partner Read More »
With so much access to information these days, decisions can be hard. We are all generally more informed, but there are also more options to consider, opinions to hear, and claims to be validated. Simplification can help address this issue, and many industries have leveraged it in their branding and business strategies in order to
How to Simplify the Banking Experience for Customers Read More »
Banks shouldn’t be playing catch up with their customers, but as the pace of change intensifies, retail banks are always at risk of falling behind. In this white paper, we explore what you need to know to connect with customers in the year 2025, and some of the scenarios that may take place in the future, namely:
When Customer Behavior Catches Up with Banking Technology Read More »
The banking industry is in an era of tumultuous change to say the least. It makes logical sense to look at your competitors, but what exactly are you looking for? Knowing how to mitigate the risk and optimize the return on investment for such huge initiatives requires a lot of background work from the start,
Worksheet: Benchmark Marketing for Banks (and How to Use It) Read More »
On September 28, 2018, SLD hosted a successful training session in China, outlining the new visual identity for the PBC School of Finance at Tsinghua University. Led by Teddy Ma, Managing Director at SLD, the training session for Tsinghua PBCSF employees highlighted the three aspects of the recently launched project, including the purpose of the upgrade, design
New Visual Identity for Chinese University Read More »
Conventional thinking has brands constantly scrambling to give customers what they want. But what if wanting is no longer enough? A customer may want a great mobile phone, for example, but a huge majority will choose the now iconic iPhone, regardless of what other phones are available. This is not simply about wanting. It’s about
Is your brand ethical? Does it have a cause or purpose that its people truly believe in and are committed to? Or are its initiatives primarily marketing techniques? In recent years, many brands have had to assess their ethics and impacts on society as customers demand more transparency, and become increasingly concerned about environmental, political,
Creating an Ethical Branding Strategy that Matters to Consumers Read More »
Who doesn’t love a great bad guy? As brands embrace storytelling, it’s important to define the villain who is vanquished by the product or service you provide. In this white paper we explore how brands are using the idea of the villain and some key tips on how to leverage this character for your brand.
Four Strategies for Creating a Compelling Brand Story Villain Read More »
So, you are ready to introduce a new design for your brand. It looks modern and appealing, and you think it will create a strong impact. But how can you be sure that your customers feel the same way and that this design resonates with them? Reflecting on how you, or your agency, developed and
Which Type of Design Research Should You Use? Read More »
In order to gain a better understanding of how the bank branch might evolve, we initiated a research project to investigate potential outcomes for the branch. This white paper will discuss our process and the key findings to date, and some potential implications for branch networks. Our strong belief is that the physical branch is a
NXT Bank: From Branches to “Fincosystems” Read More »
The importance of brand authenticity came to the forefront more than ten years ago when demographers started to raise awareness of the buying power of Millennials. With the failure of banks in 2008, and many corporate scandals making the headlines, it’s not surprising Millennials were looking for brands that were authentic and approachable. The Mirriam-Webster
Five Important Factors in Achieving Brand Authenticity Read More »
Banks are transforming their branches at an unprecedented rate – but will they get it right? Given the enormous amount of time and resources these projects require, it is critical that they be carefully considered as more than just an aesthetic update. New branch formats are emerging based on the idea that expedience is what
Branch Formats and Archetypes for the Future Read More »
Ah, Millennials: the fabled generation that every company is attempting to reach. Expected to surpass baby boomers in size by 2019, Millennials (also known as Generation Y, Me and Peter Pan, to name a few) are reaching their prime spending years. The impact that they will have on the economy has marketers frothing at the
Best Practices to Attract Millennials to Your Brand Read More »
Edge computing is a new way to process data that has the potential to revolutionize the banking customer experience. Although we are in the early stages of seeing this technology applied, banks stand to benefit enormously from this method of triaging data – it has the potential to reduce costs, increase security, provide highly curated
Banking on the Edge: The Digital Implications Read More »
The importance of customer personas is becoming increasingly recognized as personalization becomes more possible, and specificity wins sales. But how exactly do you develop customer personas, and how detailed should they be? In this whitepaper we describe the process of developing personas and explain how to communicate them to your team. Fill out the form
Is Your Business Targeting the Right Personas? Read More »
On July 8, with invitation from the School of Continued Studies at Zhejiang Financial College, SLD presented a learning and training session on future banking trends. In attendance were representatives from various banks, including Nanxun Bank, China Zheshang Bank, the Hangzhou branch of SPD Bank, ZJRC, Hangzhou United Bank, the Hangzhou branch of CEB, Zhejiang
SLD Presents on the Future of Banking Read More »
