Design Innovation

The Importance of Sustainability for CPG Brands

The wellness industry is booming. From yoga-mats and home gyms to the ever-growing organic aisle of the supermarket, consumers are seeking out products that encourage and nurture their wellbeing. As the industry grows, so does the need for a cohesive brand image that promotes wellness values. As always, product packaging speaks volumes- and for brands […]

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Infinitus

CREATING EMPOWERMENT FROM WITHIN In an ever-busy world, the need to create internal harmony has never been greater. CLIENT Infinitus PROJECT Infinitus Experience Centre RELATED SERVICE Retail Design Innovation Brand Strategy Digital Experiences Digital Signage Service Design THINK The Infinitus Service Centre was a large-scale, multi-disciplinary project, requiring the utmost precision in retail design and

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Mannequin wearing sunglasses

The Four Characteristics that Define Indie Brands

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

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Mall of the Future Rendering

The Future Of The Mall – A Design Exploration

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

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2021 trends to watch out for

2021 Trends and Implications for Retail Brands

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

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SLD team predictions for 2021

Looking Ahead to 2021 With the SLD Team

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

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Scientists in a lab testing a COVID-19 vaccine

What Brands Can Learn from the COVID-19 Vaccine Trials

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

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Ant Group Record-Breaking IPO

What Ant Group’s IPO Could Mean for Retail Banks

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

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Industrial Bank

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 bank

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George Wang Headshot

What Artificial Intelligence Means for Retail Design

One of the buzziest and most debated tech terms of the last 5 to 10 years is artificial intelligence. To start off with, what does the term artificial intelligence actually mean? If you just Google “define artificial intelligence,” you’ll discover that even computer scientists and engineers don’t entirely agree on what to call everything that

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Illustration of women talking at a bank

How Banks Can Appeal to Both Rational and Irrational Customers

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

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Cybelle Jones headshot

How Experiential Design Can Help Tell Your Brand Story

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

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Behavioural Theory Illustration

Using Behavioral Theory to Improve Bank Customer Experience

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

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Using mixed reality to play sports

How Mixed Reality Can Elevate Your Packaging Design

It’s no secret that the role of packaging has evolved from being strictly focused on practicality to now having a central role in a brand’s identity. These days, packaging serves as an effective marketing tool – especially with augmented and mixed reality innovations – and gives brands an opportunity to use their packaging to creating

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