The IBDA project began by envisioning the full customer journey, starting from outside the branch to every possible digital experience whilst being inside the branch.  This involved defining customer persona's and what the target outcome for each type of customer would be.  The conclusion to the envisioning phase was a well defined strategy for the bank, including a branch design and a number of bespoke digital experiences that would be developed for the IBDA branch.

As part of developing the IBDA branch concept, we explored the idea of making the branch aco-branded facility with Costa Coffee.  The location in the new Nakheel Mall in Riyadh was identified and presented the opportunity to build a bank branch that had never been done before anywhere in the world.  The location was identified as an open-air branch which was positioned above a water feature and was ideal to build a flagship branch that would resonate with the  local population and key demographic of the Mall.

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Partnership negotiations with Costa Coffee and the Mall management were successful and presented unique challenges in establishing the primary brand for the facility, and an operating model that would ultimately appeal to all businesses involved in the IBDA branch.  From the outset, the IBDA branch began breaking all the rules of what traditional banking should be, and instead established itself as the most innovative retail bank in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.