Digital Experiences

Perfect Is Boring: What Big Brands Can Learn from the Rise of the Anti-Brand

In recent years, branding has been all about polished storytelling, aspirational lifestyles, and curated perfection. But somewhere between the perfectly aligned flat lays and hyper-curated copy, something got lost: realness (a.k.a “authenticity”). In 2025, we’re seeing a bold shift. Some brands are trading polish for personality, control for chaos, and perfection for raw, messy humanity. […]

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How to Successfully Offer Health Services at Retail Pharmacies

Digital Experiences / Annika Carroll

Healthcare systems around the world are struggling to meet the needs of patients. Governments hope pharmacies can fill the gap by allowing them to offer a wider range of services. In many countries, patients are accustomed to seeking out a pharmacist’s advice, often in place of going to a doctor. North American consumers, however, see

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A Quick Guide on How to Use Shape and Color Choices to Influence Buying Decisions

Digital Experiences / Annika Carroll

Color and shape not only catch the eye, but they also guide our perception and emotions. Together, these elements transform a logo into an icon, a package into a feeling, and a brand into a relationship. Studies show we process images 60,000 times faster than text, as the majority of information we absorb is visual,

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The Role of Social Commerce in CPG: Designing for the Scroll, Click, and Buy Journey

Digital Experiences / Annika Carroll

A new aisle for CPG brands has fragmented the path to purchase. As the line between social media and e-commerce gradually blurs, platforms like TikTok and Instagram aren’t just influencing buying decisions they’re becoming the shelf. With 34% of consumers shopping online at least once a week and 70% of online purchases influenced by social

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How Can Design Help Retailers Reduce Theft?

Digital Experiences / Annika Carroll

Concerns about theft in retail have been mounting since the pandemic. What’s behind the shifting dynamics of shrink and how can brands address it? Design is only one element of loss prevention, but it’s a key component. Before we get into how design can help, let’s take a look at how theft in retail stores

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How To Turn Around Poor Customer Service In Retail

Digital Experiences / Annika Carroll

The Decline of Customer Service According to Forrester’s CI Index, customer service is the worst it’s been since they first started collecting data in 2016. Other reports from Cavell, Customer Contact Week Digital and the National Rage Survey confirm the findings: around half of consumers feel service has gotten worse in the past few years.

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Unexpected Collaborations

Digital Experiences / David Magnus

Unexpected collaborations break conventions often combining seemingly unrelated brands or industries. The purpose is to create hype, expand audiences, and enhance brand value by delivering something fresh and surprising. Packaging is where these partnerships come to life, where design sensibilities merge with compelling stories to emotionally engage consumers. In this blog, we introduce three examples

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How to Deal with FOP Warning Labels and What to Expect

Digital Experiences / Melinda Deines

In Canada, the new front-of-pack labels for foods high in sugar, salt, and saturated fats are the latest in a wave of packaging regulations attempting to help consumers make healthy food choices. In today’s blog, we’ll ask some of the SLD team to weigh in on how they’re working to address the new FOP regulations,

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Creating an Inclusive Environment that Appeals to Gen Z

Digital Experiences / Matthew Wilson

Inclusion has become part of the vocabulary of almost every retailer. While some have introduced inclusive aspects into their retail designs, many still have not met consumer expectations. Gen Z has consistently called for more inclusive environments, with 66% of respondents from our Inclusivity in Retail study indicating that inclusive retail elements enhanced their shopping

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Unlocking Consumer Insights: Best Practices and Tips for Effective Design Concept Research

Digital Experiences / Matthew Wilson

Before launching a new package, store design, logo, or brand design, it’s important to gain consumer insights and feedback. It’s never been easier to research design concepts: platforms like SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, and Pollfish provide sophisticated testing tools and access to consumer panels across the continent. However, not all research is created equal. To get the

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Key Takeaways from the WBR Future Branches Conference: Strategies for Branch Evolution and Customer Engagement

Digital Experiences / Matthew Wilson

The WBR Future Branches Conference in Boston on June 24-25 brought together banking industry leaders to discuss innovative strategies for branch evolution, customer engagement, and leveraging technology. Prominent speakers from national and regional banks and credit unions, as well as industry experts and bank executives at various levels, shared insights on transforming branch networks and

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Why Prioritizing Physical Accessibility In Retail Will Create Brand Loyalty

Digital Experiences / Matthew Wilson

Creating accessible environments is crucial. Retailers invest billions of dollars annually to optimize their retail spaces for customer appeal. However, many do not prioritize inclusive design. Our comprehensive white paper on inclusivity in retail highlights that an accessible store is not just a legal obligation but a strategic asset that enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty

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Is Retail Banking Ready For AI-Driven Advice?

Digital Experiences / Matthew Wilson

Since the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, generative AI has been a popular topic of conversation. Microsoft’s Copilot, Google’s Gemini, and Claude followed, as ChatGPT ignited an AI race. What was once science fiction is now a reality, with AI assistants that can respond to almost any question. Since their introduction over a year

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5 Great Examples of Bank Branch Design

Digital Experiences / Matthew Wilson

Bank branches are often perceived as transactional spaces, lacking in human touch. However, when thoughtfully designed, they possess the power to attract foot traffic and constitute a major part of a bank’s brand identity. In this blog, we’ll showcase five exceptional examples of thoughtful branch design, from Asia to Europe and North America. Each highlights

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The Future of Loyalty Programs

Digital Experiences / Matthew Wilson

Loyalty programs have long been a key part of many companies’ retention strategies. Most revolve around a similar idea: spend money with the company and earn points that can be used to save money or get a free item. Due to inflation, customers are turning to any method they can to save money, including loyalty

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The Future of Seamless Banking and Financial Advice: EU/UK vs. North America

Digital Experiences / Jean-Pierre Lacroix

Shikatani Lacroix Design (SLD) was invited to speak at the ebankIT Summit in Portugal on the future of seamless advice and its impact on customer loyalty in the banking sector. The presentation was based on a consumer study with a detailed comparison of the banking industry in North America and the EU/UK. It revealed nuanced

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Unlocking a World of Seamless Banking: Empower Customers at Every Step

Digital Experiences, Financial Services / Matthew Wilson

The financial industry is transforming rapidly. From multi-channel approaches to omnichannel experiences and the rise of AI-driven seamless banking, institutions are embracing changes at various stages. This transformation is being accelerated by Europe’s enthusiastic embrace of open banking, which will shortly be followed by open finance. Together, they offer customers greater control over their financial

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What’s Annoying Customers With Digital Signage and How To Fix It

Digital Experiences, Retail Design / Matthew Wilson

Digital signage, when used effectively, can be a powerful weapon for capturing the hearts and minds of consumers during their shopping experience. Many merchants now use digital signage to promote bargains, content, and other offerings throughout their networks. The misuse of digital signage, on the other hand, can irritate customers, leading to complaints about obtrusive

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Breaking Category Norms: 6 Brands That Went Against The Flow

Brand Strategy, Digital Experiences / Melinda Deines

In the world of brand strategy, there are norms in each category that are considered to be the wisdom of the day. These rules are in flux, responding to changing market dynamics and consumer expectations, but it is uncommon for brands to deviate from norms. Occasionally, however, someone decides to go against the flow. In

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The Role of AI In The Design Industry

Digital Experiences / Matthew Wilson

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence is weighing on the minds of professionals who may be affected, and this includes the design industry. Technology has helped advance the design industry considerably, by providing a wider range of design solutions and visualization tools for clients. Companies like Adobe and Apple have redefined the industry by providing

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Digital Experiences

Perfect Is Boring: What Big Brands Can Learn from the Rise of the Anti-Brand

How to Successfully Offer Health Services at Retail Pharmacies

A Quick Guide on How to Use Shape and Color Choices to Influence Buying Decisions

The Role of Social Commerce in CPG: Designing for the Scroll, Click, and Buy Journey

How Can Design Help Retailers Reduce Theft?

How To Turn Around Poor Customer Service In Retail

Unexpected Collaborations

How to Deal with FOP Warning Labels and What to Expect

Creating an Inclusive Environment that Appeals to Gen Z

Unlocking Consumer Insights: Best Practices and Tips for Effective Design Concept Research

Key Takeaways from the WBR Future Branches Conference: Strategies for Branch Evolution and Customer Engagement

Why Prioritizing Physical Accessibility In Retail Will Create Brand Loyalty

Is Retail Banking Ready For AI-Driven Advice?

5 Great Examples of Bank Branch Design

The Future of Loyalty Programs

The Future of Seamless Banking and Financial Advice: EU/UK vs. North America

Unlocking a World of Seamless Banking: Empower Customers at Every Step

What’s Annoying Customers With Digital Signage and How To Fix It

Breaking Category Norms: 6 Brands That Went Against The Flow

The Role of AI In The Design Industry

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