As banks and their branches continue to be acquired and sold, it has never been more important for a financial institution to have a resource that can design and implement a clear branding message about who they are and how they serve their new and existing customers. So whether it is a new bank location or new acquisition, a unified and highly-distinctive atmosphere at your retail bank locations is critical. In addition to a clear branding design must be an experienced onsite team that understands how to effectively implement the branding changes without disrupting your customers or business.

I-5 Design and Manufacture has been working with financial institutions across the country to both create a branding image and implement all changeover needs. From effective utilization of the brand’s colors within each branch, to consideration given to maximizing signage and branding display impact, we maximize your message throughout the space. Due to the typical tight timeframes involved with a change-over we can provide banners or prints while the new signage and design components are manufactured. If a complete interior is being changed, our installation experts coordinate the best scenario for your branches which often means implementing the plans overnight or weekends to create a scenario where your staff and customers walk in to an entirely new environment the next day. As banks continue to acquire new assets and branches, the need for a single solution to branding changeovers will continue to grow. In troubling times, it’s good to know there is a resource for high-impact, efficient branch re-branding solutions that focuses on your needs to ensure a well thought out and coordinated plan.    

Did you see the Super Bowl half-time show? Over 150 Million viewers saw The Who perform classic rock’ n’ roll on a large video screen stage. As the show went on arrows flew across the stage and the band’s logo flashed, animated and spun. Many commentators have said that the stage was as amazing as the show itself.

I-5 Design and Manufacture has been implementing these types of fully programmable color changing LED lighting systems into décor and signage. Your exterior can be turned into a dynamic billboard creating an atmosphere around your business with the ability to convey your message with the fullest impact; as subtle or as exciting as you want. Whether it is an exterior display that is programmed with full video or animation, or interior décor and signage to produce an ever changing and dynamic environment, your business will never appear static or boring.

For one project we utilized a large scale implementation of fully programmable color changing led light bars to create a landmark display that was able to show video and any custom animation. From an American flag waving on the 4^th of July to silhouetted horses galloping across the night sky; the effect is as breath-taking as it is effective.  Because the LED light bars in this application were considered architectural perimeter lighting, maximum visibility could be achieved without falling under the signage restrictions of the municipal sign codes. This can be an extremely effective solution when permitting makes it difficult to achieve the impact your building needs. This technology is also incredibly flexible, from a circular stage to a gigantic video screen/sign - literally anything is possible with programmable color changing LED. For more information about cutting-edge, high impact décor, theming and signage, visit i5design.com

In a tight economy Americans are still dining out, but less often. That trend has heated competition among restaurants, and a smart interior and exterior design plays a key role in ratcheting up the dining experience and capturing competitive advantage.

Successful restaurant owners are defining the markets they serve by seeking grassroots ways to determine what their customers want.  How? By asking them.  Are they comfortable while dining?  Is the décor pleasing? Is the noise level appropriate? How’s the food, the service, the overall ambiance?

Customers are usually approachable and will offer their take on the dining experience at your establishment.  And they also may give you valuable feedback on what they like and don’t like about the design of other eateries they frequent.

If you’re creating a new restaurant, your competition can be helpful by providing opportunities to observe successful design in action.  Evaluate what elements are working or not working for them and determine how you can turn what you learn into competitive advantage.

Whether to get into the gaming business is one of the largest economic decisions a tribal organization can make.  The choice of design and construction partners to plan and complete the project will depend on many factors.  But professionals who deal effectively and sensitively with cultural aspects in designing a tribe’s gaming venue will likely gain competitive advantage for new and repeat projects.

Native American cultures incorporate natural elements, colors, textures and animal lore.  Different tribes may favor different animal totems and each has its own prohibitions on elements used in design and decor.  For one Pacific Northwest tribe, feathers, or their stylistic representation, must never touch the ground.  This prohibition would play a role when designers select floor coverings for a gaming or other tribal venue.

Working with tribal organizations requires designers to hone their listening skills and do exacting research.  Successful projects can hinge on accurate reflections of a tribe’s cultural heritage in design strategies.

In retail, getting customers in your door is a promising first step.  But engaging them with design elements and subtly directing them around and through your space can prompt longer shopping times and more purchases.

Designated themed areas spotlight items linked by use, color, origin, or other distinguishing features.  Dramatic lighting focuses attention on displays that draw customer interest. Strategically placed way-finding signage directs customer flow to featured items and encourages buying.

Leveraging the power of appealing design and smart customer flow can boost profitability. In planning your retail environment – whether a new construction or a remodel – ensure that customers can easily find their way to merchandise you want to sell and they want to buy.

The exterior façade of your building defines your business on multiple levels. It can provide initial answers to questions potential customers consider as they decide whether to enter your doors:  Will I find what I want here?  Is this my kind of place? Will I feel comfortable being here?  Will I want to return here again?

First impressions are often lasting impressions.  That’s why as the first visual representation of your brand, your façade design can create both positive and negative expectations in potential customers. 

Attention to design detail and putting yourself in a customer’s place can tip the scales in your favor.  If it rains a lot in your location, or if the sun generates glare and heat, consider a roof awning as part of your façade design.

If your site is surrounded by traditional and conservative architecture, a glitzy exterior may not be the right design solution.  If your targeted customers expect you to provide a certain style and quality of products and services, presenting a façade design at odds with those expectations will not earn you new and repeat business.

It’s been said that you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. All the more reason to put the right face on your business when you build or remodel.

In 2009 the U.S. Gaming industry reported a decrease in revenues of $1.78 billion. This 2.6 percent dip represents the first decline in three decades and with new competition ready to ante up, private and tribal-owned casino venues are looking for new ways to attract and retain customers.

The pinch of economic slowdown is being felt in more than 25 states that are currently seeking to increase their gaming operations as a way to bridge budgetary gaps.  Revenue-generating strategies will likely include new casino design and theme elements to engage gamers and non-gamers, coupled with cost-efficient installations that deliver flexibility and ongoing value.

To get and keep competitive advantage, many casino owners will be looking for design and manufacturing partners that can supply new construction or remodel and retrofit packages at a price that won’t break the bank.  These partnerships may be the most important investment gaming industry players can make in a new year that promises expanded competition.

From retail centers; to financial services branches; to entertainment, gaming and dining venues, design professionals are fielding an increasing number of requests to create exterior facades and interior environments based on environmentally friendly materials.

Business owners and operators have discovered that from their customers’ perspective, design elements inspired by natural materials can make spaces look upscale, comfortable, professional, elegant and more.

But it’s not all about looks, it’s also about sustainability.  Using low-emitting, energy-saving and recycled materials and systems in overall design can reduce maintenance, improve energy-efficiency, eliminate pest damage and help curb rising operational costs.

Eco-friendly materials can also earn organizations and businesses “green building” laurels, leading to increased customer satisfaction and higher levels of staff productivity.

There’s an old saw that says in business, you tend to deal with those you know.  That means there’s strategic and marketing value in establishing long-term business relationships and in playing the “local” card.

A premiere way to display home-town character is in the exterior and interior design of your company’s place of business.

In the financial services industry, independent banks create their own brand identity and can feature design that relates to the communities they serve.  Institutions located in distinctive geographic locales may choose design elements such as facades, colors, textures, and accessories that suggest a regional theme and promote a sense of shared community. Other banks may draw design inspiration from a customer base that shares a strong cultural or ethnic heritage.

For larger institutions with extensive branch operations, creating exteriors and interiors that help establish a sense of community must incorporate national or regional brand design such as logos, colors and other elements.  Melding the two identities allows branch operations to be recognized more readily as a community banks and to compete successfully for local business.

If you’re on a tight budget and timeframe, the last things you need in a new construction or remodeling project are surprises – design elements that aren’t what you envisioned, structural elements not positioned where you planned, and more.

To avoid surprises, you need a design and manufacturing firm that can help you track your project visually from concept to completion.

Advanced hardware and software technologies can deliver video walk-throughs of your project, detailing exterior and interior structural and design elements. 

Digital capabilities also can help you visualize your space from a customer’s perspective, gauging the impact of theme, color, lighting, décor and other design features.

Viewing your space as it will look on completion allows you to make adjustments to the design while it’s still in the planning stage.  That can help to bring in your project on time, on spec and on budget.