Bank Coop becomes Bank Cler
Scholtysik & Partner develops the strategic positioning, the brand promises and values, the name and the design of Switzerland's youngest bank.
The smallest of the six Swiss retail banks challenges the industry leaders and reinvents itself with a new name, sharp positioning, dramatically modernized design, and substantial investment in an integrated digital and spatial customer experience. With its ambitious growth strategy, Bank Cler aims to increase its market share substantially.
Scholtysik & Partner developed the strategic positioning, the brand promises and values, the name, the tonality as well as UX principles and brand-typical interface components. As a lead agency, Scholtysik & Partner supported the bank in choosing specialized partners. Among the chosen ones were: advertising agency Heimat Zürich, the PR consultants of Farner Consulting, retail specialists of Mint Architecture, sound experts of the Department of Noise, the digital agency Namics, the fashion designer Lela Scherrer, various IT providers, trademark lawyers and market research institutes.
Cler means clear.
«Cler» is Romansh and means distinct, simple, clear. The new bank turned its incisive new name into a program: Bank Cler wants to make banking as straightforward and enjoyable as possible. At the same time, Switzerland’s youngest bank remains committed to its social position and cooperative origin. For example, as a family-friendly retail bank, as a bank of the Swiss housing cooperatives or as a sustainable employer, which enforces the equal pay of women and men.
Starting on May 20th, 2017
The amendment of the Articles of Association to change the name of Bank Cler AG will be applied for at the Annual General Meeting on April 20th. One month later, on May 20th, Bank Cler becomes visible all over Switzerland.
«The time is right for a new bank.»
Lukas Staudenmann, Partner at Scholtysik & Partner, summarizes the strategic considerations as follows: «The last ten years have left a deep mark on the financial world. The Swiss’s view of their banks has changed radically. They miss a decent bank that sees itself as a customer advocate and assumes its social responsibility for Switzerland.
At the same time, the omnipresent digital transformation changed the expectations of their clients: banking needs to be way more simple and cheaper. We want to be able to do everything conveniently online, but without missing the possibility of personal consultation.
The time has come for a new bank: a Swiss bank with a social conscience, which seriously cares about its clients and uses the opportunities of digitization to make their lives easier. This bank is now available. Her name is Bank Cler.»
Digital and physical
Hanspeter Ackermann, CEO of the future bank Cler, emphasizes investing in both their offices and digital touchpoints and services.
«No matter how our clients want to get in touch with us or do their transactions, we want to offer them a consistent experience that inspires.»
Hanspeter Ackermann, CEO of the future bank Cler
Open an account online in just a few minutes
Customers can expect new online touch points with additional functionalities like; opening new accounts online or applying for a credit card in just few minutes. They can determine thier own investor profile and invest in a suitable investment solution. Consultants are available online for questions and consultations – in a first phase via a chat function, later also via video-chat. New accounts are opened online, verification and identification is handled via video-chat, all completely paperless. This “virtual office” will be further expanded. All services will be offered not only in the physical branches, but also online.
The future branch
Within a two month periode, Bank Cler will be physically perceptible as well: the first completely retrofitted office will be opened on May 20th, 2017 at the Uraniastrasse in the city-center of Zurich. For all the other branches throughout Switzerland the signs outside and the interior fittings will be adapted to the new design. By 2020, further branches will be gradually modernized. In the new premises, clients find advice on all financial matters in a uncomplicated and relaxed manner.