UnionBank, established in 1981, had grown rapidly but operated a relatively small retail network with just 200 branches. Leadership saw an opportunity to extend the bank’s reach through technology, transforming the customer experience and positioning UnionBank as the Philippines’ most innovative bank.
The challenge was to attract millennials while reassuring older customers that digital banking could be accessible, seamless, and relationship-focused — embodying the CEO’s ethos of “No one left behind.”
We partnered with UnionBank to reimagine the flagship centre, The ARK, as a next-generation banking destination. Research highlighted pain points such as long queues, fragmented journeys, and limited engagement beyond transactions. From this, we crafted a holistic experience: warm, empowered ARK Ambassadors guided customers efficiently; flexible, multi-sensory spaces hosted events, hackathons, and learning sessions; and digital touchpoints (intuitive tablets, VR, and AR) enabled immersive, educational interactions.
Within six months, The ARK drove a six-fold increase in account openings, reduced transaction times by 20%, and became a hub for over 70 events in its first year. Beyond metrics, the model demonstrated how physical and digital experiences could coexist to build engagement, trust, and loyalty. Elements of The ARK framework have been rolled out across the branch network, earning multiple regional and international awards and setting a benchmark for customer-centric, digitally-enabled banking in the region.