Repositioning the bank brand: From a global story to a strategic shift in Vietnam

Changing the identity of businesses and banks is not only a story about the image and "trendy" design of the logo, but also contains the strategic direction and vision of the organisation in the future.

In the context of the financial and banking industry entering a new competitive cycle, where technology, data and customer behaviour change the way the market operates, brand repositioning has become a strategic decision for many organisations.

From global financial institutions to domestic banks, the wave of brand "refreshing" is accelerating as a way to reaffirm its position, expand the customer ecosystem and make a difference. Furthermore, it is also a way for banks to signal their long-term vision, development orientation and the role they want to play in the new growth structure of the economy.

The new brand identity and orientation to become a "New generation national bank" marks SHB's strategic transformation, receiving a lot of positive feedback from customers and the market. school.

When global banks reposition

The wave of brand repositioning is not a local phenomenon, but has appeared early in developed markets. A typical example is DBS, a bank that has transformed itself from a traditional financial institution into a "technology company providing banking services". Instead of just digitizing the process, DBS rebuilds the entire operating model, deeply integrating into customers' digital lives. The slogan “Live more, Bank less” is not just a communication message, but reflects the philosophy of experience design: banking should become “invisible”, operating smoothly behind the scenes of users' lives.

In Europe, BBVA chose a more systematic approach. This bank not only transforms technology, but also consolidates the entire brand system on a global scale. This reflects a cross-border operating model, where the bank operates as a digital financial platform, rather than a collection of discrete local entities.

Meanwhile, ING pursues a "Think Forward" strategy with a focus on simplification, transparency and personalization of the experience. The brand identity is adapted to the digital environment, with every touch point – from mobile app to web platform – contributing to shaping the overall experience.

Despite differences in implementation, these cases all show one thing in common: the new identity system is not the starting point of change, but a visual mark of a transformation process that has quietly taken place within the organisation.

From domestic banks to global financial institutions, the trend of brand renewal is accelerating to affirm its position, expand customers and create new customers. special.

In Vietnam, the banking industry is entering a period of strong and comprehensive transformation. User behaviour is changing rapidly, with a clear preference for mobile platforms. Digital financial services become popular, while the gap in features between banks is gradually narrowing.

However, change is not only taking place at the technology layer. At a deeper level, the market is witnessing a process of banks accelerating their pace, investing heavily in digital infrastructure and operating capacity. In this process, brand repositioning gradually becomes an integral part of the overall transformation process, connecting “inside” and “outside” – between how the bank operates and how the market perceives it.

SHB is continuing to write the story of accompanying the country with a new look and desire to reach out.

The change in identity marks SHB's transition from internal to external, demonstrating unity in strategic thinking and development orientation in the next stage. This is not only a refresh of the image, but also a process of condensing the brand story, modernizing the expressive language and increasing the symbolic depth, to more consistently reflect the movements taking place within the organisation.

SHB aims to become a "New generation national bank", not only acting as a financial service provider, but also aiming to become a centre for connecting and circulating capital flows, providing financial solutions/services for an ecosystem of strategic partners, large businesses, supply chains, SME groups and individual customers. kernel.

The "ecosystem banking" model is established as a long-term development axis, relationships are linked into open growth spaces. Technology plays a fundamental role, not only supporting operations but also determining the scalability and depth of the entire ecosystem.

SHB's new logo inspired by the country's shape

The notable point lies in the way SHB approaches innovation on the foundation of inheriting core values built over more than three decades of development. Instead of comprehensive changes, the bank maintains its value base while upgrading its presentation to suit the new context. This approach creates a clear difference compared to formal repositioning cases, which only stop at changing identity without touching the operating structure and business strategy of the new period.

SHB aims to become the No. 1 bank in terms of efficiency, the favorite digital bank, the best retail bank, and the top bank providing capital, financial products, and services to strategic corporate customers with ecosystems, supply chains, value chains, and green development by 2030; small and medium enterprises, individual customers. Vision to 2035, SHB strives to become a modern bank, a digital bank, and a green bank among the leading groups in the region.

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Source: TheLeader — theleader.vn. The article is reposted for the purpose of sharing knowledge for the founder and investor community in the ecosystem HCM VIF.