Reisebank

Over the years, Reisebank AG has established itself as the market leader for travel money and foreign currencies in Germany and has now become the designated cash expert within the DZ BANK Group and thus the cooperative financial group.

With the gradual expansion of the Reisebank's business segment and offering - beyond travel-related services - the potential for a systematic enhancement and modernization of its appearance became evident - also in order to be able to appeal to demanding target groups in the future, e.g. with a sophisticated range of precious metals.

In the context of these changes, the previous appearance of Reisebank, which had matured over the years, reached its limitations in terms of aesthetics, functionality and content, which is why GABC was mandated with the carefully planned enhancement of Reisebank's brand positioning and design.

An in-depth target group and competition analysis formed the strategic basis for the development of alternative positioning corridors for the future Reisebank. These alternative approaches were reviewed with the company's management in internal brand workshops and then further specified against the backdrop of at times considerable market dynamics, not least due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

The approved and sharpened brand positioning is based on the established brand foundation as a leading provider of travelers' currencies, while at the same time reflecting the broader scope of the Reisebank's offering for new, demanding target groups and their changed communication and mobility requirements.

The brand strategy therefore provides the framework for the following upgrade of the brand appearance in terms of both content and design. This upgrade is not only recognized by the market, but also helps to ensure the long-term establishment of the bank's claim to be the cash and precious metals expert within the DZ BANK Group and thus within the cooperative financial group.

In addition to the new positioning, the formal structure of the Reisebank's various product offerings was also evaluated and organized within the framework of the brand strategy. In the future, these will be operated either as subbrands linked closely to the Reisebank or as more independent endorsed brands, depending on the respective needs and the degree of freedom required.

The aim of Reisebank's design evolution was a noticeable, bold modernization of the brand identity, with the aim of making the brand more accessible, more approachable and more likeable.

Building on the defining elements such as the 78° angle in the long-standing logo as well as the established color scheme, an evolution of the brand design took place. The new brand appearance is characterized by a few distinct elements: an approachable logo, a precise and recognizable typeface, striking colors and an emotional, unique visual language.

The increased flexibility and modularity of the new corporate design improves usability across all touchpoints. Today, Reisebank customers experience the bank as clear, easy and accessible. Values that also characterize the business relationship with Reisebank. This ambition is also reflected in the defined corporate language, which - where possible - avoids technical vocabulary and is easily understood by all target groups. Accessibility is also underlined by the extensive use of pictograms - in the spirit of cross-lingual, international communication.

High accessibility, a clear value proposition and comprehensible, well differentiated product offerings are the focus of the redesign of the reisebank.de website as the brand's central communication platform and online store. Different target groups can find their way around the website easily and intuitively. Exchanging travel money, calculating currencies, buying precious metals, exploring the gold savings plan, experiencing products or simply finding branches - all this is presented and explained in a striking and comprehensible way with just a few clicks.

The website is the starting point for a broad digital brand experience - from digital touchpoints (such as the digital branch guide) to newly designed apps for the brand.

The design redesign of the approximately 100 branches and offices was completely revised after the corporate design elements were defined. Reisebank branches are characterized in particular by their very central but varying locations at train stations, airports or in city centers. The branch guide was developed with great flexibility, so that the branch design can be scaled and adapted to all structural conditions. A few distinctive modules create a high degree of recognition and enable a standardized, economical modular system. Bright rooms, clear zoning, high-quality and robust materials together with deliberately used wooden panels create a new store experience - approachable, friendly and clean.

In the context of ongoing automation, ATMs were planned as "small branches" that further boost brand awareness in train stations, airports or city centers. The cohesive and clear overall appearance creates new trust in Reisebank.

When implementing all media, a special focus was placed on achieving a high level of cost and implementation efficiency via consistent modularity. The visuals of the Reisebank brand and the three business segments Travel Money, Precious Metals and Cash Services are based on a standardized modular system and can be tailored to address specific target groups and be used across all media. In the strategic rollout planning that accompanied the project, the media implementations were rigorously simplified, reduced in number, and standardized. There are also customized templates for all print media which, among other things, automatically generate the characteristic headline design.

The branch design concept also follows the consistent standardization through hierarchized equipment modules that can be adapted to different room sizes, environmental situations, technical conditions and cost constraints.