Grocery chains, food specialty stores, even convenience stores and gas stations are serving up hot meals to millions of hungry, hurried customers – 2.4 billion meals in 2015 as a matter of fact. From Loblaws’ bakery-cafes serving coffee and cupcakes, to food halls with servers and salad bars at Whole Foods, grocers are tapping into […]
Should Supermarkets Launch their own Foodservice Brand? Read More »
In the increasingly competitive world of foodservice, brands are looking for every possible advantage they might be able to leverage, including design. Numerous brands are undergoing make-overs: Taco Bell, KFC, Subway and Arby’s are only a handful of the big names that are currently rolling out more contemporary, less generic designs. The trend is quite
Most Effective Restaurant Design Elements Today Read More »
Suzanne Cluckey of ATM Marketplace wrote about Jean-Pierre Lacroix’s presentation at the 2017 Bank Customer Experience Summit: Some years ago, the president of [SLD], a company that specializes in brand strategy and customer engagement, sat in a meeting with senior leadership at Kodak, a client company. He was there to present research on a promising new business segment —
Branch Transformation by Design Read More »
Breaking Branches – Learning Lab For the unprepared, branch transformation can be a Herculean task. That’s why Jean-Pierre Lacroix, an expert in brand transformation, and Stephen Griffin, who led the transformation of Regions Bank branches, will lead a workshop on breaking (and rebuilding) branches at BAI Beacon. A select group of attendees will have the opportunity
With the Equifax hack dominating headlines, consumers are once again reevaluating the relationships they have with their banks. It can be difficult enough for customers to trust large financial institutions when they think everything is working fine, but in a new age of cybercrime and insecurity, it is harder than ever to convince the public that your
Building Privacy into the Branch Experience Read More »
Marrying digital and foodservice is an ever-growing trend and is necessary to capture Millennials’ attention. That is why we sat down with Boston Pizza‘s Paulo Ferreira, Senior Director of Design, to discuss the restaurant’s new design and digital integration at their flagship Toronto location. Boston Pizza was trying to get Millennials off their phones and engaged
Behind the Scenes of Boston Pizza’s New Design Read More »
Categories in today’s market are becoming less defined, as foodservice blends with grocery and retail and cafes offer added value within banks, bookstores, and gyms. Customers are looking for choice, custom experiences, convenience, multi-functionality, and less cultural rigidity. All-day breakfast is becoming a popular restaurant offering, the demand for gender-neutral clothing is increasing, and hybrid
Keep Your Restaurant Relevant With These Hybrid Design Tips Read More »
Regardless of whether the infamous Trump wall is ever built, the American economy relies on immigration to ensure robust growth. As boomers age and birth rates drop, it is inevitable that this will continue. By 2050 it is expected that 37 percent of the U.S. population will be either first generation immigrants or second generation
Banking on Diversity Read More »
Shikatani Lacroix’s design of China Zheshang Bank was awarded an ICX Association Elevate Award for Best ICX Deployment for Financial Services at tonight’s awards reception. “We’re overjoyed to bring home another Elevate Award, as it speaks to the innovative work we’ve done with CZ Bank and our partner in China, MetaThink,” said Marcos Terenzio, Director of
Shikatani Lacroix Wins ICX Elevate Award for CZ Bank Read More »
Shikatani Lacroix and China-based partner MetaThink were awarded an Honorable Mention in Commercial Competition at the 10th annual International Design Awards for their collaborative design of China Zheshang Bank. IDA honorary juries examined over 1000 entries submitted by architects and designers of interiors, fashion, products, and graphics from 52 countries throughout the world. After final decisions
International Design Awards recognizes CZ Bank Read More »
Shikatani Lacroix’s design and implementation of Calgary Co-op is being inducted into Retail Design Institute’s “Class of 2016” at the 46th Annual Awards Gala and Fundraiser today in New York City. Calgary Co-op, a strong performer in Calgary’s supermarket sector, embarked on a redesign of its stores to address increased competition from new and existing
Retail Design Institute Celebrates Calgary Co-op’s Design Excellence Read More »
Immersive design agency Shikatani Lacroix Design (SLD) and Chinese strategic innovation and branding consultancy MetaThink have proven the effectiveness of combining neuroscience and virtual reality to test consumers’ emotional responses to a virtual retail environment by recording the same consumer responses to the physical one. A world first, this research validates the use of VR
New Research Validates VR and Neuroscience as Effective Retail Design Tools Read More »
Branch Design: Built environments for a new era in banking The 19th century American architect Louis Sullivan coined the phrase “form follows function.” In the 21st century, Sullivan’s law still governs the built environment. Learn how design professionals are applying it in blueprints for a modern branch that serves not only as a banking establishment,
Bank Customer Experience Summit 2017 Read More »
Retail banks are facing challenges from every direction, from the stealth erosion of accounts to competing banks; from online only financial institutions to non-traditional banking platforms. On top of that, banks are reckoning with how they can gain greater value from their retail network. The challenge would be less daunting if it weren’t for the
VR and Neuroscience Enabled Agile Design Read More »
Purpose SLD conducted a national U.S. survey of 1,100 respondents to understand their banking behavior and the level of risk from new emerging mobile and non-traditional banking platforms. The study was conducted in February 2017 and forms part of a strategic review of the evolving role and value the physical branch can provide in building
Overcoming Stealth Attrition in Retail Banking Read More »
Of the successful projects you’ve worked on, which is your favorite, and what steps led to making it a success?” One of my favorite projects that I have worked on was designing an immersive retail experience flagship store for Major League Baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays. My agency, Shikatani Lacroix, has intimate knowledge of the Blue
Ask the Board with Marcos Terenzio Read More »
The latest issue of Retail Merchandiser featured a detailed profile of the recent overhaul of M&M Meat Shops. M&M CEO Andy O’Brien shared details about the ideas behind the new retail design as well as Shikatani Lacroix’s role in creating M&M Food Market. M&M Food Market worked closely with Shikatani Lacroix Design, a Toronto-based strategic
M&M Food Market: More than Meats Read More »
Boston Pizza is unveiling a new restaurant bar concept, designed by Shikatani Lacroix, on March 31 that highlights Boston Pizza’s unique family dining and sports bar experiences under one roof. The newly renovated space is located in Toronto’s downtown core at the corner of Front and John Streets. “With this new design concept, Boston Pizza
News: Boston Pizza Reveals New Urban Concept Read More »
CZ Bank has won a 2017 iF Design Award in Communication for the rebranding of its corporate identity. The new logo, designed by Shikatani Lacroix’s Shanghai-based partner MetaThink, was part of a larger brand repositioning. Shikatani Lacroix partnered with MetaThink to design flagship and community branch formats to reflect the bank’s new brand position. “We’re
CZ Bank Concept Wins iF Design Award 2017 Read More »
What is Digital Experience and Why It Matters When: Tuesday, March 21st, 5-7:30pm What: Centre for Digital Experience (CDX) Where: Marriott Hotel, Toronto The Centre for Digital Experience (CDX) is a non-profit program for digital media use development. The event attracts members of the brand, retail, end users and supply communities. Join Richard Dirstein, Shikatani Lacroix’s Principal and EVP Design and
Centre for Digital Experience Read More »
