Emotionality
Understanding sentience
Bank of Asia
FINANCIAL | NATIONWIDE, THAILAND
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: DIEGO GARAY
PROJECT DESIGNER: AYUMI DATE
感
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Whether within the hustle and bustle of Bangkok or the clamor of busy shoppers in supermarkets, Bank of Asia wanted a sense of identity that elevated their presence. At the beginning of this project, we received initial visual references that were images of CitiBank and Chase, completely sterilized modern American design in the trusted blue that was preferred by so many brands.
As with many Asian countries, 1990s America represented dreams, prosperity, innovation and success. Many believed modernity was required to be present in order to be relevant. As American designers, we were put on pedestal. Our Thai colleagues, though equal counterparts, were almost too easy to work with. Entrusting to a peaceful lifestyle of non-confrontation and very clear sense of hierarchy, their generosity of spirit became a detriment to their ability to exert agency. The Thai hospitality of our colleagues was too respectful, honoring us as guests, not co-workers, when they were our clients. Hardly getting any push back at first, we really worked on finding ways to not assert our cultural tendencies and let this project slip into yet another American non-descriptive modern.
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The project’s creative director Diego Garay and I are hybrid Americans. We are ultrasensitive to the dominance attitude that some fellow Americans carry with them, assuming their American ways are always “better.” We heard our clients’ requests to modernize the satellite branches that were often paired with a busy supermarket, to give it gravitas and project the convenience of modern technology. We were determined to not bring the “100% American” confidence–the perceived right to move freely into any cultural setting, inserting oneself in a decision-making process. We recognized the impact of our presence in the process. We represented a culture which was assumed was “better” equipped to adapt to the modern world than Thai traditions. In lieu of “better,” we proposed something “different.”
“I have no recipe for how to combine things. But you must be sincere. And if you are, strangely, it will succeed”.
— Andrée Putman
Bank of Asia had commissioned a contemporary artwork from an emerging Thai artist from Ratchaburi. This became our inspiration for our color palette and use of light and materials that honored the locale. We reproduced the mural as the signature mural at all the Bank of Asia satellite sites. Echoing the gold leaf in the mural, we designed a gold embossed light well. This, along with the artist’s expression acted as beacons welcoming and endearing the local residents to entrust their finances with the bank.
In addition to winning numerous banking industry awards in the year following the introduction of the new brand identity, the bank was acquired by ABN AMRO. During a three-year period, its capitalization increased roughly ten-fold. Bank of Asia was recognized as Best Bank in Thailand, Euromoney Magazine, 2000 and Best Bank of the Year, Money and Banking Magazine, 1999.
Becoming part of an accepted whole requires sincerity and discerning emotions. Designers as mindful stewards, not domineering promoters. Be guided by non-verbal cues to navigate a team through a successful design decision making process. Champion “different”. Being distinctive in repositioning and public exposure projects by honoring agency and origin. We did not presume nor dominate - this was our secret sauce.
