Citizens Financial Group

The Situation

Starting as a small community bank in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens Financial Group today has $164 billion in assets, making it the eighth largest commercial-bank holding company in the United States.

Owned by RBS, (the Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc), Citizens now has branches in 13 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Rhode Island.

Project objectives

The bank’s digital signage program began in 2002, when Charter One Bank (subsequently acquired by Citizens) asked John Ryan to suggest ways to differentiate and improve the customer experience.

Features

The result was an integrated approach to in-branch communications and retail design, which included three-dimensional displays, a new approach to literature, and a series of screens in high-visibility areas of the branch.

Installed in more than 750 locations, the Citizens digital signage network is the largest multimedia network in retail financial services.

What worked well? Why?

Screens were integrated into the overall retail choreography with custom-designed surrounds reinforcing the Citizens brand and promise. Of special note is the floor-standing “feature wall” used to capture customers’ attention upon entry. This and other displays helped to bring a consistent experience and brand presentation to an architecturally diverse physical network, making it a low-cost alternative to more comprehensive refurbishment.

Content, as ever is the case, was important, and here the screens displayed a diverse and engaging mix of content, including audio messages.

By using the attributes-based message targeting system of the ScreenRed platform, Citizens Financial can effortlessly customize playlists according to a variety of site characteristics, including:

• special programming for newly opened sites
• tailored messaging for supermarket sites
• weather, customized by postal code
• 21 separate local news regions

The platform helps build a cohesive sales culture through live, staff-directed shows throughout the year.

“Expanding multimedia is an integral part of our marketing plan and the Digital Marketing Platform affords us the opportunity to interact with our customers on an entirely new level, creating much greater product awareness and brand loyalty, and has proven to be an incredibly powerful tool.”
Bill Harrison, Vice President and Director of Merchandising, Citizens Financial Group.