There are many lessons to be taken from COVID-19 and how consumers have changed their shopping habits. From online versus in-store to big box versus mom and pops, some shifts may have longer-term ramifications than others. One interesting (if not surprising) result of the current pandemic is that brand loyalty is often replaced in favor […]
The Four Characteristics that Define Indie Brands Read More »
It has been quite telling over the years working with retail brands, whenever you bring up the subject of employee engagement, it’s usually not a top priority. Everybody is so focused on e-commerce and social media that employees are often treated as an afterthought. And while digital is, of course, critical for any brand in
Training Your Staff to Become Better Leaders Read More »
Even before COVID-19, the shopping mall was under siege. As more consumers turned to online shopping and local, independent bricks and mortar retailers, it was not uncommon to see spaces for lease within malls and empty parking lots outside. In some cities, malls were being turned into mixed-use spaces, condos or distribution warehouses. Then the
The Future Of The Mall – A Design Exploration Read More »
After a tumultuous 2020, the banking industry is transforming itself from being the root of the issue in the last financial crisis (2008) to being part of the solution in this one. Not surprisingly though, different banks are at different stages of transformation. In this article, we look at some of the best practices from
What Does Smart Banking Look Like in 2021? Read More »
It is no secret that COVID-19 has led to the reallocation of resources into pandemic-related operations/causes, with corporate giants like PepsiCo, Facebook and many others putting millions into their COVID-19 response. In the latest news, Budweiser announced that for the first time in 37 years, it will not be running an in-game Super Bowl ad.
Philanthropic Marketing and How to Stay Authentic Read More »
2020 was a tough year for many, and although 2021 is looking a little more hopeful, the fact remains that our way of life will be very different moving forward. As a result, brands should consider how to best support their customers. A year marked by a global pandemic, widespread social protests, and man-made environmental
Show Me You Care: Building a Social Brand in 2021 Read More »
How to get more people into your store is a question that retailers both big and small have been asking since the dawn of e-commerce. Add Amazon, a pandemic, direct to consumer online brands and a smartphone in the hand of nearly every consumer in North America, and the answer seems less clear still. Mark
How to Get Customers to Fall in Love With Your Store Read More »
The distribution of COVID-19 vaccines has begun, and with them come a welcome light at the end of the tunnel for retailers who faced unprecedented challenges in 2020. Even those that did well, such as grocery stores and big boxes, have faced unforeseen challenges – who would ever have imagined that policing hand sanitization or
What Retailers Need to Know About COVID Vaccines Read More »
It has been a long time since we have experienced such a disruptive year. Many of us are wondering if 2021 will bring with it the same level of uncertainty or if the dust will settle, and what a new normal will look like. To that point, at the end of each year, we provide
Six Things That Will Define 2021 Read More »
If 2020 taught us anything, it is that predictions and best laid plans don’t always come to fruition. While many brands learned this the hard way, there are countless success stories from the past year – stories of brands that adapted, listened and inspired. As we look ahead to 2021, the unknowns and challenges that
2021 Trends and Implications for Retail Brands Read More »
At the end of every year, it’s tradition to reflect on the things we’ve loved, hated, and what we’re looking forward to for the coming year. 2020 was obviously pretty unusual, and although 2021 promises to be an improvement, it will also certainly be a year to remember. In this episode, some designers and thinkers
Looking Ahead to 2021 With the SLD Team Read More »
Back in 1964, Canadian communication theorist Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase the medium is the message. For McLuhan, he hoped the phrase would help “draw attention to the fact that a medium is not something neutral–it does something to people. It takes hold of them.” Oh, if only he was alive today. Almost 60 years
Digital Marketing Strategies for 2021 Read More »
The Self-Service Innovation Summit took place between December 8-9, and examined the many technological advances that are changing the retail landscape. With a focus on self-service, kiosk and vending solutions that can be applied everywhere from airports to hospitals, the virtual event covered topics such as ATMs, endless aisles, micro markets and way finding. SLD’s Jean-Pierre
Self-Service Innovation Virtual Summit Read More »
The financial and social uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, systemic racial injustice, and widespread unemployment has meant that consumers are now reconsidering their priorities. As a result, any discretionary spending has been reprioritized and shifted elsewhere. A Mckinsey study from June 2020 found that consumers are pulling back spending in categories such as apparel and
The Shifting Values of Beauty and How Brands Can Adapt Read More »
Despite COVID-19 and improvements made to online shopping, countless studies have reinforced the fact that consumers still prefer to shop in-store – especially when it comes to groceries. The way in which consumers learn about products and make purchase decisions is changing though, and for retailers and CPG brands a fresh approach is needed to
SLD’s Definitive Guide to In-Store Activation Read More »
The word transformation gets bounced around a lot, and like any other word that starts to become part of our marketing vernacular, it can start to lose its true meaning. That being said, when it comes to what’s happening in the world of retail banking, there really isn’t a better word to describe what’s going
Why Now Is The Time To Embrace a Bank Transformation 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 »
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 »
Technology has been a salvation during the pandemic and has thrust us into the age of omni-channel once and for all. And yet, there is a looming threat to the digital brand experience: a growing sense of mistrust in technology and the cyber-verse. Fanned by the flames of fake news, online hate and political interference,
Digital Distrust: How Brands Can Navigate a World of Disruption Read More »
https://www.sld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/PlaydiumOPTion2.mp4 #LIVEWILD Cineplex Entertainment is rolling out the new Playdium design across Canada to offer exciting, afforable fun for the whole family. CLIENT Cineplex PROJECT Playdium Experience Design RELATED SERVICE Brand Strategy Retail Design Environmental Graphic Design Service Design THINK Our research revealed that Gen Z and Alpha are united in one key factor:
