Banking’s changed. But trust is still built face-to-face.
Oberbank | Brand Boost
Digital banking is the norm, and many banks have shut branches entirely. But Oberbank recognised that in-person experiences still matter. We were asked to bring their brand promise to life, making the branch a place which supports each and every user in their journey.
| SERVICES | Research Brand Strategy Product Experience Design Experience Design Brand Communication Branded Space Design |
What’s the hardest thing to create? A waiting room.
It should be a place of calm, but too often, it’s the opposite. We associate waiting with uncertainty and time wasted – especially in banks. But Oberbank, an international bank born in Austria, wanted to challenge this stereotype.
Digging deeper…
At first, it seemed straightforward: their branches needed a refresh. But once we stepped into the branches, we realised the real challenge wasn’t how they looked. It was how they felt. We needed to craft a space that was clear, calm, and welcoming from the moment you walk in.
Heritage brands can really benefit from user experience design. Dive into how it’s done.
We started where we always do. With insights.
Real users, real journeys; customers and employees alike. From the first step through the door to the last interaction with an employee, we tracked how people moved, where they hesitated, what they needed, and what they didn’t. Then, we benchmarked against service leaders across industries.
This let us turn brand values into real experiences.
We work at the intersection of brand, function, and emotion – turning abstract values into something real (or unreal, when we involve virtual reality!). That’s the real challenge in banking: there’s no physical product to showcase, no shelf full of items to browse. Oberbank combines people-first thinking with flexibility, transparency, and open communication. So, how do you make these values part of the space itself?
Virtual reality helps create immersive space design. THIS IS HOW WE DO IT.
With the strategy set, we turned to design.
The new branch in Bad Hofgastein became our testbed. We built the full space in virtual reality first, so Oberbank’s team could walk through it, question it, and refine it, before a single wall was touched. It helped us align fast and fix friction points early. So, we crafted a space which breathes the Oberbank brand. Not just in logos or colours, but materials, acoustics, textures, and transitions between spaces.
One branch is a start. A system makes it real.
But great design isn’t about a single perfect space, it’s about scalability. So we developed a modular system – adaptable across sites large and small, flexible enough for regional differences, but consistent in experience and brand expression.
Oberbank isn’t the only Austrian powerhouse we’ve worked with. Discover PALFINGER.
Now, the transformation is real.
Walk into an Oberbank branch today, and you’ll feel the difference. The space is no longer just a backdrop; it’s an active part of the experience. Transparent, grounded, secure.
It’s proof that physical banking can still be relevant. Still human. Still essential.
Check out more of our work.
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