Community Bank Big Rapids
Overview
Community Bank of Big Rapids provided their values, goals, and company name. These goals and values were to bring loyalty and act as an assisting hand to the students and young families of Big Rapids and Ferris State University.
Objectives
Design a unique bank experience and brand, physically, and digitally.
Branding • Collateral • UI/UXClient
Ferris State University
Academic Project
“Entering a bank can be intimidating”
— Brittany
In interviews with Ferris Students a common comment was that being “new” and “on your own” with a bank for the first time can be an intimidating process.
Eliminating the intimidation of a bank was the sweet spot that lead many of the designs.
“Is this for a vet?”
In showing loyalty and a welcoming presence a dog within the logo was considered; however, after testing it came to light that some thought the logo was for a vet and not a bank.
Community centered
The “Y” was altered to underline and highlight unity within the logo, hinting at community commitment. Centennial was the serif used as it provided a fun bounce to the classic perception of serifs and banks.
A member of the community known for their loyalty, for the mascot
Buck the beagle, is based on a local Beagle within the community. He is the bank’s mascot to act as another outlet to convey the loyalty of the bank. It also provides fun opportunities for the bank to get community involvement and show the connection to the community.
Playful wording & bright colors combat the mundane atmosphere and perception of banking.
A Floor Plan
Designed for
Casual Comfort
This floor plan minimizes the corporate bank look by casually providing a seating area with coffee and snack available.
Research
Showed
According to a study by Kaspersky Lab, about 85% of users and non-users of mobile banking said they would be more likely to increase their use of mobile banking if there was more security.
This lead to having multiple security channels within the app that the user could personalize and change as desired.
Most Used Features & Extensions
Bills, balance, activity log, budgeting, and more all at the user’s fingertips.
Losing your card happens, especially for first-time card holders, so having a freeze account option helps keep your money safe and helps the user stay more in control.
Money sharing accounts all at one spot
With so many apps that allow you to send money the Community Bank app allows you to keep an eye on each of those accounts and allows you to draw and send money out of them without having to open them.
Including the Beagle through out
By including the mascot within the app helps to decrease the intimidating aspects of a banking app.
A.I. Chat Bot
Competitors, Wells Fargo Bank has benefited from its customer support chatbot.
A smart chatbot can answers many people’s questions easily without a line can. Chatbots work 24/7 and are always polite.
A bank that is welcoming, loyal, and looking to re-think the way banks work
In creating a bank brand that steers away from the mundane traditional banking experience creates an experience that is educational, easy to manage, and inviting for new families and students.