Not sure how many of you out there know about Umpqua Bank. Those of you in the Northwest are probably familiar with their uber-beautiful “store” interiors… yes, they refer to their branches as stores.

CEO, Ray Davis, has really posed the question… what can a bank be? They are redefining the banking industry from a customer experience perspective. From roasting their own coffee to having free internet, to requiring their employees to volunteer (paid) in their communities… this is a CEO who understands how design and aesthetics play a vital role in telling your companies story through the senses.

I recently completed a fun project under the art direction of the Portland agency, Ditroen, that involved photographing engaging portraits of real customers in Portland, Bend, and Sacramento to illustrate their “Connections Make Communities” concept. The result was a 10×10 foot “hero wall” piece of art that has been installed in twelve of their “next generation” stores in Oregon, Washington and California. Cool stuff.

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