By Mao Xinhui
How will things turn out once a formal, traditional bank joins force with a Nijikon-styled internet company? Recently, that became a reality in Yangpu, with the arrival of CCB-Bilibili Mini-Bank program.
CCB's Guoding Road branch right next to Fudan University is China's first Bilibili-themed "mini-bank". In the lobby, there is a large train parking on a set of railway tracks. Whether it is the ATM machine or the counter, they are decorated in authentic Nijikon style, completely transforming the stereotypes people have for banks, which tend to be overly formal and stuffy. Using Shanghai as a pilot location, CCB will work with Bilibili to create hundreds of Bilibili-themed mini-banks in university districts across a dozens of cities including Beijing, Tianjin, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Xi'an, Wuhan, Changsha, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Xiamen. These mini-banks will be rolled out in time for the fall semester to serve students with their banking needs.
The Guoding Road location showcases how the collision of two divergent cultures sparks amazing ideas and innovation. "Ticket Office", "Arrival Platform", "Departure Area", cylinder-shaped pillows, interactive Danmaku give visitors a refreshing and immersive experience. A touch-screen game is integrated with financial knowledge and banking services catered to the young, providing a highly interactive experience for users. Banking has never been more personalized and creative for the younger generation. In addition, CCB has launched an online version of the mini-bank for those who can't be there physically. Users may interact with Bilibili content uploaders to talk about going back to school in the comfort of their homes.
The collaboration with Bilibili is an important first step as part of a broader marketing outreach campaign to reach and attract Generation Z customers. The use of technology as an enabler to connect campuses to the bank, a combination of physical locations and online communities to generate traffic, and most importantly, meshing the Nijikon pop culture with traditional banking services will greatly enhance our brand awareness within the younger customers," explained a senior personnel of the bank.
