Full spotlights on the brand new Allianz agency innovative service design concept

Allianz is leading a redesign process of the agencies with a design solution aimed to strengthen the brand leadership and to improve the shopping experience, through a brand new innovative model of service and the enhancement of the new visual identity.

The project which started back in the second half of 2012, carried out crucial development stages for the conception of project whose first agency was officially inaugurated in Milan around mid June.

Following a strategic analysis to understand the context using surveys in Italy, Germany and France and interviews with 63 agents in different countries, further meetings were carried out for the evaluation of creative drafts and to discuss about the new service model with the management and the Allianz Partner Agents Committee.

The project passed through a technical development stage, after the approval by the CEO George Sartorel and by the Allianz Partner Agents Committee in late 2012.

The new service design concept of Allianz agency caharacterized by a stylish and fresh environment, which promotes the relationship between Agent and customer.

The model of service is developed according to different areas which interprete Allianz new way of communicating by interactive and visually impactful atmosphere.

The project breaks the standards of the traditional insurance service model, realizing a comfortable space designed to make the customer feel at ease with new counseling workstations, an important welcome area and a zone for fast operations.

The brand values of quality, clarity, modernity and elegance were channeled through the set of all finishing materials.

The choice of these elements has been studied in detail to create a refined environment: light and dark wood and steel give life to a welcoming atmosphere consistent with the professionalism of Allianz. The final result is a very bright and reassuring space, that communicates strength and confidence to the customer. The design is Crea International srl and dinn! srl copyright.

 Info: www.creainternational.com/allianz

CREA International e Il Prisma. Il nuovo assetto societario

CREA International coerentemente al proprio posizionamento, annuncia un nuovo assetto societario con l'ingresso nel capitale sociale a fianco del fondatore Alberto Pasquini de Il Prisma, azienda con 43 anni di esperienza nell' architettura, interior design, ricerca e sviluppo nel settore dell' ambiente di lavoro, affermatasi sul mercato grazie ad una metodologia "Redefine Your Habits", che nasce dall' interpretazione dello spazio come luogo fisico volto ad alimentare il talento e la passione di chi lo abita e di Marco Bini, uno dei massimi esperti in Strategic Retail Management. 

I progetti di CREA International rappresentano l'integrazione dinamica ed innovativa di architettura, design strategico dei servizi, retail design e naming&branding con una metodologia unica, innovativa e consolidata "Physical Brand Design" ovvero la capacità di portare i valori del brand attraverso il design all' interno dello spazio fisico. 

L'operazione del valore complessivo di oltre mezzo milione di Euro tra aumento di capitale e finanziamento soci, consentirà a CREA International di attingere ad una piattaforma multidisciplinare ricca di risorse professionali con oltre 50 specialisti tra architetti, ingegneri, project & account manager e grafici. 

Per ulteriori informazioni, è possibile visitare il sito www.creainternational.com

Lavazza coffee shop is running abroad with the new format Espression - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

A design concept signed by Crea International supporting italian brand’s internationalization as told by Marco Valle, the Lavazza coffee shop director.

"Espression is a highly identification place of Lavazza brand, a combination of creativity and style in which the coffee expertise and the typical italian design concept are blended.

The layout’s aim is all italian and plays on design elements and on creativity which is expressed not only in an aesthetic way, but even in the products’ offer. Instead the retail design reflects our bands values. A modern design, rotating around photography’s world. Design innovation can be discovered even in small details, together with the use of technology, allowing great flexibility according to the contexts in which we operate. The physical layout is adaptable to every single necessity of the store”.

This is what Marco Valle said during an interview on the magazine “Retail & food”, focusing above all on demonstrating how the company objective aims not in a strong numerical development, but in presiding over specific areas, well representing the countries in which the company invests.

After first opening of the pilot coffee shop concept in Turin, the brand has started to spread in a trasversal way.

The store in Malpensa is one of the last ones, half in China, Belfast, Dublin and Budapest airports and a deal made with chinese partners which allowed to open in 10 months 18 shops between Shangai, Guangzhou and Beijing, with the aim to join more than 200 stores in the next five years.

“Espression” really aims in telling “Italy” in a new but absolutely truthful and current manner.

Old traditional stereotypes have to be put aside in order to bring to the surface a truer and more modern way of being Italian, communicating that originality, vitality, pluralism of languages and cultures, typical of italian culture and its “ecleticism”, offering the pleasure to drink a coffee in an amusing, emotional, innovative and different environment. In Italy Lavazza does not need to improve the brand awareness because the brand holds 48% in retail market, serving more than 10 thousand bars.

That’s why the attention of the the company is now focused in investing abroad.
Click here to find espression coffee shops worldwide.

Forte Bank – supporting your success, the last challenging project signed by Crea International - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

A new banking brand with the mission to be a step ahead on retail banking kazakh market, through a premium positioning

“Forte Bank” (Almaty – Kazakhistan) the new rebranded METROCOMBANK has just announced the launching of a new banking brand

A bank looking at the future and innovation but still keeping the own cultural and traditional roots. “ In mid 2010, we decided to rebrand the bank. There were a number of key reasons: the perception of METROCOMBANK as a retail bank offering express loans and its association with a Russian bank. The Bank has rapidly repositioned itself as the institution offering the highest quality banking services to the SME and corporate clients. We are now ready to demonstrate that the bank has changed not only the logo and name, but also the philosophy of customer service,''- said Guram Andronikashvili, CEO of “ForteBank” JSC.

A project where Crea International was involved in a multiprofile design,

ranging from new brand identity with the creation of a new logo to a new branch design concept and on product and fashion, to give the company a new repositioning on the market.“We create for Fortebank a unique identity that is a mix of international contemporary and Kazakhstan rooted mood, both in branding and in physical design for branches. Every single detail has been designed following this philosophy, from logo to visuals, from branches to people dress code. The results is a new bank image that is setting a new standard in banking sector in Kazakhstan. As for the new branches, we focus our design in creating a totally brand new customer experience, unseen so far in the country. The Fortebank branches have a customer service designed on some clear statements: simplicity in managing transaction, effectiveness in supporting customer's consultancy and learning needs, high quality in space experience. Fortebank will contribute to open a new way of doing banking in Kazakhstan and to communicate worldwide the New Kazakhstan business standards." Words that Massimo Fabbro, Ceo of the Physical Brand Design company proudly expressed, having been able of working and successfully complete such an articulated project. 

The Bank will continue to serve businesses in Kazakhstan, offering unique products and first class service.

The new brand is designed to strengthen the association with the chosen strategy and to enhance the reputation of the bank as a financial institution built exclusively for Kazakh businesses. The unique and personalized service model is designed putting customers as central fulcrum of all processes using newest banking technologies and completely different from the banking processes used by the traditional banks in Kazakhstan. Forte Bank first aim is to pay attention at its customers and keep beside them step by step along their business growth to establish a strong and longterm relationship well reputed and unmistakable, teaching them the techniques and procedures to improve their business strategies.

The chosen name ForteBank (in different languages "Superior" "Fast", "built for the ages") reflects the concept of the new brand to communicate a cool, iconic and premium institution,

going through cross border dimension, focused on cultural Kazakhstan reinterpretation. The new bank's logo was created by a Kazakh ornament coming from bording country, a reinterpretation of traditional yurta ornamental motifs, acknowledging country’s origin. Logo is the first element of brand graphic dna: it expresses bank values and imagery in just one simple sign using a huge pattern tone on tone helping to make the brand be immediately recognizable and premium looking reassuring for the huge use of logotype. The font of logo is customized to give a tone of unicity to the bank. Colours are unique for Kazakh banking market, result of a study, managed by Crea International working team, on kazakhstan banking colour scenario, to find out new gradations never used by competitors which could express the national iconic colours, deeply rooted in local traditions: burgundy and sky blue color. An accurate choice to create a premium brand perception deriving from from the chromatich constrast of dark and light colours.

In the very near future, the bank will present its new Forte Bank branch in Almaty, fully projected by the retail design company.

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Crea International at Frankfurt fair “light build”

An industry experts’ discussion on how sophisticated lighting design & quality lighting adds value to office spaces

On Tuesday, 17th April Andrea Borsetto, design director and Marco De Carli, marketing and strategy director at Crea International will give a lecture at “light+building”, the world’s biggest trade fair for lighting and intelligent buildings. 2,100 ehibitors and more than 180 visitors in last 2010 edition, top countries Netherlands, Italy, Austria, France, Switzerland, great Britain. Spain, China, Belgium and Russia. The Physical-Brand-Design company will face a discussion on how design influences brand and image and how lighting can best attract customers. Stay tuned !

Crea International at Frankfurt fair “light build” - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Flagship Wind : brand reputation and customer satisfaction, testifying the brand’s rise - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Flagship Wind : brand reputation and customer satisfaction, testifying the brand’s rise

Interview to Maximo Ibarra, Wind Business Unit Consumer director, to show how the new concept design contributed in creating a new space of interaction and community

That the new retail design concept of Wind Flagship Store aims to improve the relationship between human beings is no longer a secret. That it has become not only a place where purchasing product and services, but also a meeting place, not even.

380 sqmt store right in the centre of Milan on two floors where the Wind Theater area becomes a space for events …. where sharing feelings and emotions. Below a short interview to the Business Unit consumer director explaining the results and the events, highlighting the growing success of the brand.

Which are the benefits that the new concept design of Milan flagship store has brought to the Company?

Our Milan flagship store has always been a place of excellence where our customers can experience the world of Windand, above all, it expresses our company values through its layout and innovative design. Technology at the service of our customers, exclusive customer care and dedicated commercial consultancy, the broad range of Wind products and services make the flagship store a reference point capable of fully meeting the needs of our customers.

Can you tell us the results obtained from the launch of the flagship store on business level: numbers, feedback from customers and shop staff etc.?

In almost two years of operation, our store in Corso Matteotti has welcomed and cared for over 20,000 customers, ensuring, with a team of 7 Wind employees, an excellent level of service, as documented by our internal Customer Satisfaction parameters.

How often do themed events occur in the flagship store? Have the topics of the events a special meaning or are they decided randomly?

In 2011 we organized seven themed events and one so far in 2012. With these appointments we have shown even more how close we are to our customers, by celebrating within the store many events not purely related to the world of telecommunications, but related to the promotion of young Italian talent ("The Surrealistic Pixel" event-exhibition by Alessandro Dotti), to fashion (fashion show with two promising talents of the Made in Italy of the future, Mimì à la mer e AnnaBiblò), to art ('Hallowind' event with the creations of the Arrigo atelier) and to wine&food ('choco-fever' feast and Christmas 'gourmand' event).

In a friendly and technologically advanced environment, we have also involved the Wind community and the citizens of Milan in a series of initiatives directly related to the telecommunications world, such as the launch of the Nokia E7 and of the HTC Desire.

A success even for the Physical-Brand-Design company which has conceived a telecom retail project in a technological environment that has become a perfect habitat for a new empathic community, an environment to create connection between brand and customers, contributing to customer loyalty.

Flagship Wind : brand reputation and customer satisfaction, testifying the brand’s rise - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Crea international host to a Travel Lab event, a symposium on “Temporary and Flagship stores: strategies on brand field to face crisis” - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Crea international host to a Travel Lab event, a symposium on “Temporary and Flagship stores: strategies on brand field to face crisis”

An event where Marco De Carli, strategy director of the physical-brand-design company, gave a speech with a special spotlight on some distinctive examples

Service design is one of the most important aspects on which companies have decided to invest as the key marketing tool in retail field, contributing to brand equity and customer loyalty.More and more brands should think about the physical space, working on an appropriate physical brand strategy to be declined on several physical touch points on territory in retail field, such as retail networks, temporary or flagship stores, according to the brand strategy of the company.

On this basis Crea International has been invited to the event to support the importance of Flagship stores as tools for retail positioning, to implement the customer relationship and loyalty, to centralize the flows and sales, and give awareness and local presence to the brand.

In Hotelplan’s headquarter in Milan, with a dynamic and interactive audience composed of top managers and entrepreneurs from the tourism industry and with, among the speakers, the direct store manager of Illycaffè – Elodie Horaist - and the holder of an important network of temporary stores - Paolo Comini of Sidecar Group - De Carli’s presentation has focused on Physical Brand Design’s way of approaching projects, starting from the brand identity, going to developing the design concept, always shaping signs and codes consistent with the brand, to get to the service design aiming to enhance brand positioning.

Talking about Flagship store, the presentation has explored, among the others, one of the most distinctive of the italian brand design company: Wind flagship store. The aim was to create a flagship able to make the successes of the company over the years touchable to customers, with an upgrade of image to make the brand more fashionable and cool.

Everything supported by a physical brand strategy due to the biosphere as distinctive sign of an innovative design, sensitive to the balance of different chromatic and morphological elements, perfect habitat for a new empathic community in a totally new landscape.A work that led to the opening of the two Wind flagship stores, one in Milano (C.so Matteotti) and the other one in Rome (P.za di Spagna).

He has also shown how the Physical-Brand-Design methodology applied to a project as Welcome Travel has led to the creation of a totally new design concept of the retail-travel-agency and can be used flexibly by the network to give to customers a new place of meeting and sharing where the purchase experience and concept within the agency are redefined.

Present to the explanation of the retail travel project Gian Paolo Vairo, Ceo of Welcome Travel, who has explained how this physical brand design project is perfectly integrated in a a new company vision which joined the retail travel agency with web and mobile areas. The new Welcome Travel aspires to propose to customers new standards of services which are lined up with those of the main European markets: quality, training, efficiency, technology and customer service in order to renew the methods of distribution of the tourism product and create a benchmark for the whole italian market of travel agencies. He has declared to be extremely satisfied of the work and the Group aims to join new satisfactory results thanks to this new store design innovation

De Carli’s intervention has then analyzed some other important cases starting from Tim retail network where PBD strategy has contributed to renew the whole network and distribution channels, in a consistent view with the historical values of the company of reassurance of the customer to reinforce brand identity and positioning; going to Lavazza coffe shop an international coffee chain supporting brand’s internationalisation, where the major challenge was to create a a service design concept which could be adapted to the international expansion of the company.

And finally in Air Bank branch project he has presented to the audience a bank model where service design and customer experience within the branch play a central role in the start-up asset of the whole project.

An intervention that certainly showed how Physical Brand Design strategy can be declined to different fields, with different values and expectations but all with the same objective to give distinctiveness and uniqueness to the brand, in a market that is becoming more selelective and where consumers, despite the crisis, are paradoxically getting more and more demanding.

See also:

Crea international host to a Travel Lab event, a symposium on “Temporary and Flagship stores: strategies on brand field to face crisis” - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Crea International @ an evening organised by A+D+M - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Crea International @ an evening organised by A+D+M

A fun event for the Physical Brand Design company

On december 3rd Alberto Pasquini, president of the interior design company, partecipated to an evening organized by A + D + M magazine - the acronyms of architecture, design,materials - for the architects protagonists of the magazine’s covers. On this particular occasion, the location for the preview was “La Commenda di San Giovanni di Prè” A recurring appointment of the last 5 years, where the voyage destination organized every year by A + D + M is revealed (this year will be Lisbon), an opportunity of sharing ideas in a different landascape.

Crea International @ an evening organised by A+D+M - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Meeting with prof. Antonella Caru’, from Bocconi university, with some questions about service design - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Meeting with prof. Antonella Caru’, from Bocconi university, with some questions about service design

How can service design feed business? How can it be a success’ implementation?

Service design concerns design of services and it’s a difficult activity because of immateriality and procedural nature that characterize them. Service design rotates around the brand identity: the design of all elements of the service should be directed to the creation of brand identity. Following this aspect, a fundamental component is given by the environment, by the structures where service is provided, which must be functional to service delivery and to customer participation, but also help to create and and simultaneously convey the brand's service. The context in which the service is delivered has a strong impact on the brand and, on one side is the element of identity par excellence, on the other is the field that most directly contributes to the generation of customer experience: this may contribute significantly to the success of a service concept.

Have you got any considerable company case to bring as model?

A first example that comes to my mind is the one of “Apple Stores”, characterized by a modern interior design, charming, apparently simple but extremely aimed to details, with an optimal balance between functional aspects and emotional accessibility to the service. Another example is “Abercrombie”, very connotated, which divides consumers between those who hate it and those who love it, but that is an important element of identity for the brand. Very interesting in my opinion is “Eataly”, an innovative concept, masterfully developed following elements of originality focused on a concept of authenticity. I would also mention, among high emotional innovative designsCheBanca!, as expression of change in marketing strategies in retail banking field. It must be said that the contexts are not only physical, but can also be virtual: the websites linked to a brand (for example Mini, Fiat 500, or Nutella), are created to welcome people into a virtual experience

What are the main reasons that led you to call Crea International as company testimony to run your workshop?

A distinctive feature of our Master of Science in Marketing Management is the constant interaction with business: we deal with various themes searching for integration and comparison between theoretical and managerial aspects. In this case, facing servicescape’s aspect in Services Marketing course I wanted to engage a company who were skilled in service design activity: I asked about, I looked at your website and I called you, discovering with pleasure that we share the sensitivity to these issues, with a lecture marked by different and complementary skills.

Meeting with prof. Antonella Caru’, from Bocconi university, with some questions about service design - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

The curtain drops on Elephant Parade, the first humanitarian participation by Crea International… and not the last! - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

The curtain drops on Elephant Parade, the first humanitarian participation by Crea International… and not the last!

A charity auction organized by Christie's during a gala evening has closed the charitable event: the italian-retail-design company was there to say goodbye to its Elephamm!

Seventy-four elephants from the open-air international exhibition held in Milan from September 16 to November 15 have been auctioned and sold during a gala evining. Among the works during the event, which was attended by five hundred artists and entrepreneurs from all over Europe, Elephamm has been sold and Crea International, proud for having participated to the initiative, was there to say goodbye to its creature.

“I am very happy that Italian people, despite the difficulties in global economic situation, are ready to invest in art and in charity," said co-founder of Elephant Parade Mike Spits. "I want to thank them one by one all those who responded to our appeal, thanks to their generosity we are able to support these important cause." The next auction will be held in Singapore on 12 January.

 

Amm has now a new home where the two guys who purchased him promised us that they will take care of him and love him.

Alberto Pasquini, president of Crea International, comments below the event :"I'm very glad and serene to know that our creature " Elephamm " found in Salvatore and Massimiliano two good and true friends who wanted him in their house at all costs, even making him enter from the window because he could not pass through the door.

We told them that Elephamm is unique, as his history; that he is afraid of the dark and that’s why he always wants that the light stays turned on all night long and that one day, when he will see the rainbow, he will go away from the window to wander again on a color of the rainbow from which he came. "

 

The italian retail design company plans to partecipate to others humanitarian initiatives in the new year.

The curtain drops on Elephant Parade, the first humanitarian participation by Crea International… and not the last! - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Crea International at Bocconi University: why not? - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Crea International at Bocconi University: why not?

The Physical Brand Design idea and strategy approaching service design in telecommunication and retail banking field

Service design is becoming a driving element in defining a brand: the physical landscape in which company services are offered is one of the most important aspects able to communicate a company’s distinctiveness. The attention to the customer and his needs is an aspect which companies are more and more considering as essential in increasing their reputation because customer always expresses opinions and assessments firts of all trough the analysis of the touchable aspects of the service.

In this scenario it’s easy to understand the importance of projecting spaces that are strictly connected with the brand and the service model, that can fully embody brand’s values and spirit. That’s the first reason why, in her master’s degree in Bocconi University, Prof. Antonella Carù has invited Crea International to give a company testimony about service design.

Marco De Carli, strategy director of the retail design company, has held a lecture master to the last year Bocconi’s students, exploring how service design is the first step in retail concept innovation.

De Carli made an overview on Crea International’s way of working through the unique method of Physical Brand Design®: starting from exploring the different aspects of the process to define a service design strategy which lead to create an appropriate service model, retracing all the key points discussed with the client.

Most architecture and design projects are judged for their external aspect, but when it is the Brand that builds its space it is important to listen, to absorb its emotions, feelings and point of view.The aspect and form that will take its shape are the expression of its spirit and soul. That's PBD method, that’s the different starting point by Crea International from the others design studios. The brand identity is studied in every aspects, both digital and physical.Only by a careful analysis with the client a service model perfectly sewn on the brand can be created.

Marco De Carli during his speech focused on the steps which lead in creating an appropriate service design model, according to the brand’s values and expectations. He gave the example of Saudi Arabian Airlines,one of Crea’s important projects, to support this thesis : Crea's team spent 2 weeks in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, to try to understand how people live the spaces in places with different culture and habits.This period led to a better understanding of how starting in creating the space and experience and giving life to project.

Besides obviously thinking in creating an appropriate design it has been determinant to breathe the country, to observe people, to listen to their habits, to observe the landscape and, after that, possessing all the elements to start defining the layout. It's necessary to understand what kind of experience people will have within the space, what does the brand really want to translate in it to bring concept innovation to life, making the brand a unique one.

Service design must help to either innovate or improve services to make them more useful and desirable for clients, as well as more efficient and effective for organizations who are working to improve and innovate services. It is a very different way of approaching the way we think of the relationship between company and clients, through the creation of outstanding and innovative experiences, the tool through which companies can create competitive advantages and higher profit margins. But service design is not necessarily synonymous of innovation.

Before designing, a strategy must be put. And it is not always aimed to put high technologies, but sometimes the strategy is used to reinforce the brand’s mark. It must be said that surely technology has changed the relationship between clients and service providers, but it’s important to consider that clients are not so easy to understand, they have individual needs and expectations that are difficult to standardised. So Service design can really support the service market with new concepts, it can becomes the tool through which organisations can find a new way of standing out against competition and to offer new values. And there are a lot of ways of doing that: analyzing some distinctive projects of the retail design company as Air Bank and CheBanca!,Tim and Wind, Marco De Carli's presentation has focused on how service design gives a strong identity to the brand and strengthens its reputation and the relationship with the customer, aimed to make a client a faithful customer always according with the brand’s expectations.

Air Bank, basing on Agora model, is one of the examples where service design perfectly translate the relational model. Air Bank can be considered a store more than a bank, where the customer is free to do what he most desires: taking a seat and self-browsing, or being assisted by an attendant or just having a look to the new bank products. Whatever he decides to do he must feel free in a friendly and simply landascape, that wants to be noticed but be simply and fresh at the same time. A layout where feeling good and loose, easy to understand without renouncing to innovation, how the client who commissioned the project wanted.

CheBanca! instead is a start-up project that really wants to break down with the traditional bank patterns. It perfectly communicates through service design brand's values of a company that aimed to create a new positioning in retail banking field, without renouncing to simplicity, innovation, transparency and efficiency. A new concept which radically breaks down with the old bank rules, but offers a totally new landscape based on a opened and self browsing space in a friendly and intuitive layout.

Tim’s new layout instead was not so focused on new experiences for the customer or new technologies, but the brief of the company was to offer a space able to transfer to customers the historical value of the company, able to reassure the customer giving an accessible service model under a consistency of experience and language. The result is a highly understandable environment, emobodying brand's values, maintaining its colours and forms with the furnishing lines and the wall system all over the space reinterpreting the waves of the logo, symbol of technological and cultural evolution of a country which has always been accompanying the Italian customs and the trend and tastes changing.

Last, but not least Wind project underlines how service design has been able to reinforce the brand identity creating fashion oriented and glamour flagship stores, in Milano and Roma. Service design has been able, through the introduction of interaction areas through technology, to raise the brand’s identity and putting the company on a higher level among its competitors.

Marco De Carli comments below the importance of exchanging expertise beteween university world and company one : “ Generally speaking, service design is a strong asset helping the brand to reinforce customers’ relationship, reputation and distinctiveness versus competitors. We strongly believe that the uniqueness of a brand comes, beyond communication and branding, even from a strong experience within the store, in all its dimensions. The future of the brand is evolving and it ranges more and more among a lot of dimensions, between digital, physical and mobile ones.

Spaces can generate value, continuity and credibility within the dialogue between brand and customers.”

Crea International at Bocconi University: why not? - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Crea International announces the first partenrship in retail travel field : the press conference will take place on November, 30th - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Crea International announces the first partnership in retail travel field: the press conference will take place on November, 30th

Design innovation for the Italian-retail-design company working on Welcome Travel’s brand identity and retail design

Welcome Travel Group S.p.A. is the biggest tourism distributive chain in Italy, controlled by Alpitour and Costa Crociere, two important italian leaders in holidays. During these last years Welcome travel’s increase never stopped and it is destined to continue even for next years. In 2011 it has exceeded 1.000 agencies.

Crea International has just started a collaboration with the company to work on a big project , within branding and retail, with a consequent development on all the agencies’ network. The new brand strategy aims on one side to restyle the brand identity such as logotype, colours and graphic DNA and on the other to redefine the purchase experience and concept within the agency with a mix including the store, the presence on web and on the mobile channels. The new agency is a new retail-travel-agency model focused on free time and holidays able to make the client live a full and complete experience, strongly emotional with a deep multimedia involvement. The new coordinated image with its new brand design concept will be even applicated on several corporate materials as stationary ones, communication and advertising ones and retail and web ones too.

This new service design concept will be supported by a new store design, by a wide structure of services, by an effective use of mobile and web channels to encourage the interaction between agents and customers through the creation of a “community “. All supported by the presence of the two big brands, Alpitour World and Costa Crociere.

After this first output a new agencies design concept will be developed, with the mission to strengthen brand identity in a view of modularity, through an innovative service model, perfectly coherent with the single agents’ necessities.

Welcome Travel and Crea International teams are working on this first project’s step to define the projectual drivers through a series of strategic and creative workshops presented to share goals and outputs, where every agency will be able to touch the new Welcome Travel.

Crea International announces the first partenrship in retail travel field : the press conference will take place on November, 30th - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Bocconi University hosts Crea International in a workshop on service marketing - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Bocconi University hosts Crea International in a workshop on service marketing

Service design concept within retail design showcased in financial and telecommunication services

On 3rd November the italian-retail-design company will give a company testimony on a workshop for the last year students of Bocconi University, talking about the importance of services in a more and more modern and sophisticated world. A big opportunity given by the renowned milanese university through prof. Antonella Caru’ who has structured a master’s degree of know how exchange between university world and company one.

Marco De Carli, strategy director of Crea International, starting from Physical Brand Design approach, will present a case history on Air Bank, CheBanca!, Tim and Wind to show how service design can fully express a brand identity and strengthen a company’s competitiveness.

An interesting participation by the interior design company to explore how interaction between space and people can have an emotional and functional role able to give value not only to the company but even to the client.

Bocconi University hosts Crea International in a workshop on service marketing - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Spotlight on Crea International's participation at Infdex 2011, Doha - Qatar - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Spotlight on Crea International's participation at Infdex 2011, Doha - Qatar

Innovative design showcased at Qatar's greatest interior design and furniture event of the year

The Physical-brand-design company from the 5th to 8th of October 2011 will be one of the sponsors of the event at Doha exhibition Center. INFDEX 2011 focuses on providing a unique platform for display of various products & services in the Furniture & Interior Design , Lighting, Art, Fabrics, Textiles and Architecture industry and offers highly cost effective medium for promotion to hundreds of potential partners, customers, and government and corporate decision-makers. A unique occasion for the italian retail design company to show its innovative thinking to middle east design world. Massimo Fabbro, ceo of Crea International, will give a talk on Physical-Brand-Design methodology, showcasing the most innovative and distinctive projects of the company, already known in Qatar thanks to Barwa Bank, the most progressive Sharia compliant bank, one of the most challenging retail-banking projects conceived by the company.

Keep posted to see photos and more informations about the event.

Spotlight on Crea International's participation at Infdex 2011, Doha - Qatar - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Crea International special guest at the fourth edition of "Bricoday" at Milano Convention Center - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Crea International special guest at the fourth edition of "Bricoday" at Milano Convention Center

Design innovation and Physical-Brand-Design showcased in "do it yourself" world

Bricoday is the most important event in italian bricolage and, most of all, an opportunity for the participants of training thanks to the prestigious speakers and to the interesting subjects discussed, which aim to define the trends and the future developments in DIY (Do It Yourself) field. On 29th September Massimo Fabbro, Ceo of Crea International, will hold a lecture on Branding.

Basing on the the unique method of ‘physical-brand-design’,he will shed light on the necessity of having a branding strategy to make the difference in DIY market. He will also show some international examples of design stores in DIY world trying to give some innovative design ideas to innovate retail stores and to shed light on the importance of doing branding in the store.

Crea International special guest at the fourth edition of "Bricoday" at Milano Convention Center - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Innovative design and art at Elephant Parade press conference - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Innovative design and art at Elephant Parade press conference

Crea International hosted at the press conference of the event at Palazzo Reale

A joyful occasion for the physical-brand-design company to greet, with all the other sponsors of the event, a herd of 80 brightly painted elephants that will push their way into Milan life for two months. The italian-retail-design company presents its art work, the only elephant of the parade with its story written on its back … a story of colours,dreams, love and hope in a better world :

“my name is elephamm and I live over the rainbow….

…I met by chance a creative spirit called Amm who told me his tribe’s story, free spirits able to speak through the voice of the heart. Special people who catch the sight of the rainbow and set off for a colour to get up on it to live in there and to communicate with all the living creatures through the universal language of the light.

I shared with Amm my experiences and my dreams and he taught me how to draw stories which came out from the heart. In order to help me, he gently slid in one of my big ears to talk directly to my soul.

We played, talked and laughed and we were moved to tears by watching on Youtube the story about Mosha little elephant who was moving his first steps after his leg being healed from a mine explosion. I convinced Amm to remain inside me to help me to get on the rainbow and to learn how to talk his language.

I walked over the rainbows all around the world with Amm and my legs bloted with all their colours. My blue eyes, as big and pure as babies' ones, are still capable of dreaming. And with the pencil, I always carry with me, I can draw how I feel. I have told my stories to all other little elephants and I have become the herd’s head. They have decided to follow me on the first rainbow that will rise in Milan, connecting their trunks in a single row.

We will be able to observe the world from a peaceful, joyful and friendly place from above…. Far away from fear for mines and poachers and from a world where men don’t communicate anymore and cry for their incapabilities. For this reason on shiny and sunny days we will try to send some light rays to men, through our hearts, in order to light up their self consciousness for a few seconds and let them start to perceive what they can’t see and feel anymore.

Come and know our “Elephamm” in P.za San Babila!

Special thanks go to F.lli Fotolito – Milano for the promotional supply of Elephamm t-shirts

For more informations about the event visit : elephantparade.com

Press and PR contact : francesca.soffici

Innovative design and art at Elephant Parade press conference - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Elephamm’s innovative thinking in progress - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

Elephamm’s innovative thinking in progress

The retail design company is almost ready to present its last creature

Elephamm’s innovative thinking in progress - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

New opening in Milano for Finanza & Futuro Banca retail banking flagship store - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

New opening in Milano for Finanza & Futuro Banca retail banking flagship store

A new important challenge for Crea International to give the Deutsche Bank administered funds company an innovative design within retail banking

The Physical-Brand-Design company has conceived and designed the whole restyling plan of Finanza e Futuro Banca.The brief that gave birth to the new innovative concept design was certainly a challenging one: create a brand awareness and make perceivable to clients and prospects the new positioning of the brand through the retail concept. This required the capability to develop a project with a high visibility from the outside, innovating the external approach of the financial services offices and the capability to communicate the new brand soul upon the mix of exclusivity and accessibility. In other words the design concept had to transfer the oxymoron concept of F&F Banca as the private bank managed by financial promoters.The project had to convey the rigorous roots of Deutsche Bank and the dynamism of F&F Banca and generate the feeling of a financial boutique capable to deliver high professionalism together with a strong and warm relationship.

The design concept gets its inspiration from first class financial journey. First class suggests comfort and accurate services approach, cocooning but at the same time an innovative environment with great attention to details. The design innovation of first class is perceived right from the outside of the flagship store: the windows although opened and transparent have been designed with a blue gradient glass and brushed aluminium that provide a touch of glamour. The interior design has privileged simple shapes, materials and colours in contrast, combining the blue and white colors clash, creating a timeless environment, capable to enhance what really matters : the human touch, the relationship based on mutual trust.

Particular attention has been dedicated to the communication of the offer : a colour scheme based on pastel colours developed to identify every single product proposed and introduced in the display system that groups in an unique proposition the various brochures composing the offer and the poster focusing on the special proposal of the moment. This system contributes to give to this innovative concept a touch of simplicity and at the same time preciousness, even in the offer. The whole environment provides an overall feeling of lightness, simplicity and essentiality. A perfect equilibrium to take a break with the external world and make clients concentrate on their future in a peaceful state of mind.

The choice of F&F Banca to open a new flagship store in Milano, following Rome’s one, and to refresh and reshape all the branches through out the country, implementing the innovative design concept of Crea International, is a strong signal not only of the strong increase of the activity of the financial company but even that Finanza e Futuro believes that space is an essential tool in its repositioning strategy to put clients at the centre of its attention, committing in all its activities to top class service where care and profesionalism are the key words for success.

Another fully managed project by the interior design company,that through its exclusive Physical-Brand-Design way of working, successed once again in translating the brand values within the space.

New opening in Milano for Finanza & Futuro Banca retail banking flagship store - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

A new air flowing into Czech Republic’s retail banking market : Air Bank. - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

A new air flowing into Czech Republic’s retail banking market : Air Bank.

Discover the ambitious and new bank in central Europe designed by Crea International

Air Bank, just inaugurated in Prague, represents one of the most innovative and interesting retail-banking-design project conceived by the Physical-Brand-Design company in a country still attached to the traditional idea of bank.

The brief assigned by the client was to become brand of choice in retail banking that customers will talk about with enthusiasm and passion and to propose a new environment searching for new solutions, steping out from “banking routine”.

An innovative and interesting bank, introducing retail store coding rather than banking one, supporting selling process and dialog in a peer to peer relation with the bank. The final result is not a traditional bank but a real store that firmly wants to know its customers’ wishes and feelings, in a sort of community atmosphere of relationship and interaction, to invoke positive mode for satisfied customers.

Design innovation and return to ancient times harmoniuously blended in the metaphor of “Agorà” landscape, in ancient Greek an open “place of assembly” ,to create an opened bank where been really involved into the experience of freedom to browse by oneself or to be assisted if desired.

An opened squared place with a multifunctional central area to make the space fruition free, without frills, using modern technologies on a new service model, paperless, with outstanding services, speaking of semplicity and transparency in a friendly, enjoyable and pleasant space. All surrounded by an amphiteater with a stair system looking towards the center, where customers can choose the seating on different levels.

Finally a revolutionary project speaking a new language,which sets the mark of a really different bank which does not intend to astonish and confuse, but innovate to create value.

Massimo Fabbro, founder and ceo of Crea International, comments below the project result : “I guess Airbank concept represent a breakthough within european retail banking scenario: a fully peer-to-peer, simple and no-frills banking store, that welcomes customers into an unexpected and friendly enviromment. Thanks to PPF group that challenged us to create a concept whose we are deeply proud of."

A new air flowing into Czech Republic’s retail banking market : Air Bank. - crea news - CREA International - italian retail design

La società italiana di physical-brand-design firma un nuovo importante progetto nel retail banking: Air Bank

Commissionata da PPF, uno dei più importanti gruppi finanziari e di investimento in Europa centrale e dell’est, Crea International, la società italiana di retail design, è stata coinvolta nella progettazione di un nuovo standard bancario unico, innovativo e del tutto nuovo.

Un vero e proprio store bancario che trasgrediscei temi progettuali tradizionali e che porta un’aria nuova nel retail banking del centro Europa, un mercato ancorato tutt’oggi a stereotipi tradizionali.

Le direttive fornite dal cliente sono state quelle di creare un nuovo modello di servizio che potesse diventare un vero e proprio marchio di scelta nel panorama bancario, che i clienti potessero raccontare con entusiasmo e passione.

Un innovative concept che fa chiaramente intuire di volere conoscere i desideri e le aspettative dei propri clienti, che li può far sentire a loro agio e sicuri di come potersi muovere e cosa fare, in un ambiente amichevole, familiare fatto di rapporti tra le persone, di interazione e condivisione, per poter vivere la banca in un clima sempre positivo.

Air Bank nasce proprio da questi valori con l’intento di essere notata ed ammirata.

Un negozio più che una banca dove trasparenza, eleganza e semplicità coesistono armoniosamente per creare un design concept dove potersi muovere in libertà.

Un “bank store” di consulenza più che di transazioni, dove la tradizionale esperienza del correntista all’interno dell’istituto assume nuove connotazioni: il cliente protagonista di un viaggio dove potersi sentire libero, sempre con la consapevolezza che la banca si muove per lui, con lui.

Approcciandosi alla realizzazione del progetto con la metodologia di Physical-Brand-Design, il team creativo è partito dall’analisi del mercato, in uno scenario sempre più digitale dominato dalla continua crescita di nuove tecnologie atte a sviluppare nuovi linguaggi per banche sempre più tecnologiche ed informatizzate a discapito delle relazioni con i propri clienti. Questa tendenza ha creato una crescente perdita di fiducia nella banca come istituzione.

È nata così l’esigenza di creare un design concept senza fronzoli ma essenziale dove poter rendere più facile il dialogo tra la banca ed i suoi clienti.
Un nuovo modello di servizio, aperto, libero dalle costrizioni della banca tradizionale.

In Air Bank il cliente può decidere l’esperienza che vuole vivere : sedersi, consultare i servizi offerti e chiedere se lo desidera un aiuto ad un addetto, seduti fianco a fianco, di fronte al pc, proprio per enfatizzare il rapporto alla pari con la banca.

Un innovative thinking totalmente focalizzato alla relazione e non alla transazione, dove il cliente può sentirsi rassicurato.

All’interno della banca tutto è semplificato con l’utilizzo di moderne tecnologie, con una fruizione all’interno dello spazio snella e libera, di facile intuizione seguendo proprio quei valori che Air Bank conclama, seppure in modo discreto: semplicità, trasparenza, familiarità con il coraggio di offrire al mondo uno straordinario modello bancario, mai visto prima.

Caratteristiche visibili anche nel logo stesso della banca, pulito, essenziale in un mix di colori dal verde al nero che creano una decisa alternanza tra vitalità, freschezza, rigore e sicurezza.

Questo nuovo interior design prende ispirazione dall’”Agorà” , nella Grecia antica una piazza di aggregazione, dove lo staff e il cliente possono stare fianco a fianco.

Un negozio dove poter decidere se operare autonomamente, sedersi e rilassarsi nella consultazione e o affidarsi al servizio di personale qualificato.

Ne risulta così un ampio spazio aperto con al centro un’area multifunzionale con sofisticata tecnologia interamente circondato da un anfiteatro multigradino con postazioni su vari livelli, tutte affacciate verso il centro.

Gli spazi chiusi e privati sono ridotti proprio per distaccarsi dalla vecchia icona bancaria, perché lo spazio è tutto per il cliente.

Finalmente una nuova banca, che parla un nuovo linguaggio, che pone un fermo paletto per una banca davvero innovativa che non vuole sorprendere o confondere, ma porre l’attenzione al cliente e l’innovazione come saldi valori per una nuova era bancaria.

Massimo Fabbro, cofondatore e CEO della società milanese, commenta così l’amizioso progetto: “Credo che il concept di Air Bank rappresenti un nuovo inizio nello scenario del retail banking. Un negozio vero e proprio dove potersi sentire alla pari con la banca, semplice e senza fronzoli che accoglie il cliente in un ambiente inaspettato e amichevole.Un ringraziamento speciale a PPF che ci ha dato l’opportunità di creare un concept del quale siamo profondamente fieri”.

Per maggiori informazioni:

www.creainternational.com

francesca.soffici@creainternational.com

mattia.stabile@creainternational.com