Keeping it’s finger on the pulse of it’s audience and recognising the consumer’s increasing expectations and need for convenience with banking, India’s Most Valuable Brand 2016 (as per BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Indian Brands report), HDFC Bank engaged I-AM to bridge the gap between the offline and online platforms by creating a seamless experience zone for its digital-savvy consumers. This would be done to tie in with the Bank’s “Power of Banking” and”#Godigital” initiatives. The I-AM team conducted a survey amongst HDFC Bank customers to gauge their perception, assessment and attitude towards the Bank. The Survey findings revealed that consumers ascertained that HDFC Bank’s most important service attributes were convenience, commitment and technology. Leveraging this consumer insight, I-AM decided to draw parallels between HDFC Bank’s core offering and the new shape of technology in the consumer’s life – i.e. Smart Devices. This led I-AM to conceptualize a Smart Banking Zone. The space design was conceptualized on the lines of de-cluttering the bank interior, focusing on simplicity, minimalism and clean lines, thereby bringing in a high level of efficiency. The entire customer journey adopted was well planned to help the current customers to smoothly migrate into a new advanced self service banking experience. The choice of materials, lighting and colours used within the space also lend a very contemporary fresh environment to this new form of banking. The visual language was inspired from the HDFC Bank brand mark, the Grid, in order to maintain resonance with the HDFC brand and ensuring that the Grid became an intrinsic element of the Bank’s messaging to customers and the wider public in the future. The graphics were solid and simple, building on the strong and dependable personality of the brand. The straight edged shapes incorporated indicated stability and balance, as also impart an atmosphere of professionalism and efficiency. I-AM subverted the angular lines with dynamic colours to conjure up a dynamic, interesting and inviting environment, with the focus of the design being to provide guidance and power to enable and empower the customer to interact with the Bank with ease. HDFC Bank launched their first Smart Banking Zone in Hinjewadi, Pune in March 2017.