Field Notes Inside an Integrated Communications Agency

While wandering up 5th Avenue, we were shocked by the lines outside Lord and Taylor as people waited to catch a glimpse of animated store windows not so subtlety pimping this year's holiday wares. Further up the street, we saw lines by a similar display for Bank of America. With both my husband and I former and current bank marketers, we stopped to check it out (besides a crowd always garners attention). Much like the store windows at Lord and Taylor, Bank of America's "gift box" touted storefront financial vignettes. Touch the window with your hand and the scene animates, coming to life to expand on a holiday inspired financial story captured in both the audio played and text easily readable on the window. Still not intrigued to enter "the box", maybe one of the ladies in holiday sweaters (just like the ones your grandma gives), inviting you in and luring you with hot cocoa is just the enticing you need.

The whole concept, reminiscent of the type of interaction experienced at a children's museum, was not only intriguing and appealed to all five senses it was also contextually appropriate. 

• The timing, Black Friday: one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
• The weather, freezing: cocoa indeed!
• The placement, 5th Avenue: window shopping heaven.
• The emotion, nostalgia: Christmastime, wooly sweaters, gift boxes....

Seeing a bank break into experience design was truly refreshing - the hot cocoa wasn't bad either.