Holiday Bank – Finance 2026: Experience as the new competitive edge in banking

The holiday season has always been a highly competitive “race” for the Bank – Finance sector, with countless offers competing for customer attention at the same time. As cashback and vouchers are no longer enough to create differentiation, the advantage now lies in understanding the right needs, showing up at the right moment, and delivering a seamless experience. Holiday 2026 therefore marks a shift from Promotion-led Campaign to Experience-led Financial Journey, where every financial touchpoint not only drives transactions but also becomes a useful and memorable part of the customer journey. 

I. THE CONTEXT  

Finance meets everyday life

1. Market context 

The holiday season is a peak period for the Bank – Finance sector, when banks, e-wallets, and fintech brands simultaneously launch cashback, vouchers, card offers, and other demand-stimulation programs. However, as promotions increasingly become a market standard, while fast payments, eKYC, QR Payment, and Mobile Banking become more common, the gap in products and features between brands is also narrowing. 

In this context, competition is no longer only about the size of an offer or the number of transactions. It increasingly depends on how well a brand understands customer needs and delivers the right value at the right moment. Accenture’s Banking Consumer Study, conducted with 49,300 customers across 39 countries, found that 73% use banks beyond their primary bank, while 58% purchased a financial product from a new provider in the previous 12 months; personalization is also an important driver of customer advocacy. Brands therefore need to understand not only who their customers are, but what they need at each moment. 

2. Customer behavior 

Users are increasingly less likely to begin with a need to open a card or take out a loan. Instead, they start with real-life goals such as shopping, travel, dining, entertainment, or family needs. According to Mastercard, 70% of APAC consumers are already using or want an all-in-one app that connects payments, shopping, and multiple services; in Vietnam, 56% have purchased through a social or messaging app. 

Financial decisions are therefore increasingly embedded in everyday journeys: travel involves ticket booking, international payments, and insurance; shopping is linked to installment plans, cashback, and budget management; while Tet brings family spending, gifting, and saving needs. Visa data for 2026 shows that 76% of Vietnamese consumers shop online 2-3 times per month, up 19 percentage points from 2024; 56% own a multi-currency card and 34% have used one. 

This shows that financial behavior is becoming closely connected to everyday needs rather than taking place as a separate journey. Customers expect financial solutions to appear naturally, at the right time, and in a way that fits the context they are in. 

II. THE CHALLENGE: WHEN BRANDS NEED TO MOVE BEYOND THE PROMOTION BATTLE 

When brands need to move beyond the promotional battle

1. Promotions are becoming less effective at creating brand differentiation 

During the holiday season, cashback, vouchers, refunds, annual-fee waivers, and gifts for new cardholders have almost become the “common language” of the Bank – Finance sector. As promotion mechanics become increasingly similar, customers are more likely to compare brands based on immediate benefits rather than brand value or the overall experience. 

The issue is not that promotions have stopped working, but that their ability to create differentiation is declining. If the only reason to choose a brand is a higher cashback rate, customers can just as easily switch when a competitor makes a more attractive offer. Brands can therefore be pulled into a cycle of rising promotional costs, while Brand Recall, Brand Preference, and Loyalty fail to grow at the same pace. 

2. Customer relationships can easily stop at the transaction level 

Many holiday campaigns still focus on short-term objectives such as opening cards, increasing transactions, activating payments, or driving voucher usage. This approach can generate quick results, but it can also reduce the brand experience to a single action. 

Customers may open a card for a gift, pay for cashback, or use an app for a promotion, but once that motivation disappears, engagement may not continue. If each campaign only solves for one transaction, the relationship from acquisition to engagement, retention, and cross-sell becomes difficult to sustain. 

3. Customer experience remains fragmented across touchpoints 

Today’s financial journey spans multiple touchpoints such as Social, Partner, App, Payment, CRM, and Loyalty. However, being present across multiple channels does not automatically create a seamless experience. 

When channels operate independently, customers can encounter inconsistent messages, irrelevant offers, or repetitive actions. Disconnected data also makes it difficult for brands to understand where customers are in the journey and what they may need next. More touchpoints do not necessarily mean a more connected experience. 

4. The tension between short-term performance and long-term brand value 

The holiday season often comes with strong pressure on transactions, customer acquisition and conversion, new card openings, or GMV, making brands more likely to prioritize tactics that trigger immediate action. 

However, if brands optimize only for the short term, they may face high promotion costs, low repeat rates, or a user base that is active only when incentives are available. A campaign that achieves transaction KPIs does not necessarily build stronger Brand Preference, Trust, or long-term customer value. 

III. HOLIDAY 2026 STRATEGIC TRENDS FOR BANK – FINANCE 

5 Bank – Finance strategies: Shaping 2026 Festive Season

1. Hyper-Personalization: Personalizing experiences for each customer 

Hyper-Personalization goes deeper than traditional Personalization. Instead of relying mainly on age, gender, location, or transaction history, it uses multiple layers of data to understand who the customer is, what situation they are in, what they need, and what action is most relevant at that moment. 

For Bank – Finance, the same product can carry different meanings for different customers. A credit card can be a travel-points tool for a frequent traveler, an installment solution for someone making a major purchase, or a spending-management tool for a young family. Personalization therefore should not stop at “recommending the right product”; it should recommend the right value of that product in the right usage context. 

Case study: Bancolombia x Dynamic Yield 

Case study: Bancolombia x Dynamic Yield

a. Market context

Amid a major shift toward digital transactions and a base of more than 10.6 million users, Bancolombia faced a mass-content distribution problem that overloaded customers with information and reduced engagement. To build long-term relationships through personalization at scale, the bank leveraged real-time behavioral data across digital channels and continuously adjusted experiences, products, and messages based on each individual’s level of interest and actual needs. 

b. Customer needs

Customers did not simply want more products or more offers; they wanted to quickly see options that matched their real needs. The bank already had extensive behavioral data, but the traditional Digital experience did not fully reflect these signals. Bancolombia therefore moved from relatively static segmentation to real-time product affinity recognition, allowing it to understand what customers were currently interested in and what needs might come next. 

c. Strategic idea

Bancolombia built the experience around one principle: “let the content adapt to the customer,” rather than forcing customers to adapt to a fixed campaign. The brand shifted from promotion-led – starting with an offer and then finding people to distribute it to – toward experience-led: identifying needs, personalizing the experience, and then presenting the right offer. Promotion therefore became part of a journey driven by actual customer interest instead of the center of the campaign. 

d. How the brand executed it 

Bancolombia used Dynamic Yield to build Affinity Profiles from real-time behavior, personalizing banners, landing pages, content, and offers for different need states. Personalization was expanded from pre-login and post-login experiences to the Tu360Compras ecosystem, connecting multiple Digital touchpoints. First-party data was combined with decisioning technology to automatically select the most relevant experience, while social proof increased trust and encouraged discovery of less familiar products. 

e. Results

The personalization program increased CTR by as much as 1,000% at certain points, lifted average time on website by 66%, and increased engagement with selected product groups by 428.8%. On Tu360Compras, offers triggered by customer interest increased conversion by 18%. More importantly, Bancolombia strengthened its image as a bank that understands customers and turns data into relevant experiences, rather than competing only through products or promotions. 

2. Embedded Finance: Integrating finance into the consumer journey 

Embedded Finance brings services such as payments, installments, insurance, or loyalty directly into the consumer journey instead of keeping them as separate steps. Customers do not necessarily begin with a need to open a card or take out a loan; they begin with life goals such as shopping, travel, entertainment, or preparing for family needs. 

For Bank – Finance, this means appearing at the exact moment a need occurs: integrating into the checkout step during shopping; connecting international payments, insurance, and travel offers; or linking financial services with tickets, membership, or exclusive entertainment benefits. Financial products then become a natural part of the experience instead of having to seek customers out separately. 

Case study: Fresha Capital x Adyen 

Case study: Fresha Capital x Adyen 

a. Market context 

The Beauty & Wellness industry continues to face strong cash-flow pressure. According to Adyen, 67% of businesses in the sector regularly experience cash flow issues, while 77% could not continue operating for more than three weeks without receiving payment revenue. Traditional lending processes, meanwhile, involve significant paperwork and long approval times. Fresha – a platform serving more than 140,000 businesses and 450,000 professionals – saw an opportunity to embed access to capital directly into its existing ecosystem. 

b. Customer needs 

Salons and spas need capital that is fast, flexible, and available at the right moment, rather than having to go through a separate lending process. 86% of Beauty & Wellness businesses said limited access to capital could lead to staff cuts or closure, while 37% wanted to receive financial support directly from the software platform they already use. Fresha Capital addressed this need through pre-approved offers and direct disbursement into Fresha Wallet. 

c. Strategic idea 

Fresha evolved from a management and payment platform into an ecosystem capable of delivering financial services directly within the business operating journey. Capital was not sold as a separate lending product. Instead, it appeared at the moment of need – when a business required funding to maintain or expand operations. This is Embedded Finance in its true sense: finance becoming part of the experience rather than a separate journey. 

d. How the brand executed it 

Fresha integrated Adyen Capital directly into its digital wallet. Eligible businesses received pre-approved offers based on payment history, could access funding quickly, and repaid automatically as a percentage of daily revenue. Fresha controlled the user experience, while Adyen handled the lending infrastructure, compliance, and credit risk. The solution was rolled out across 7 markets in only around 3 weeks. 

e. Results 

Within just a few weeks of launch, Fresha had provided more than USD 8 million in capital; 89% of customers who borrowed once returned to use Capital a second time. One business that used the funding for a December marketing campaign recorded a 22% increase in gift card sales, showing how Embedded Finance can directly help businesses capture peak-season demand. 

3. Connected Omnichannel Experience: Connecting touchpoints into one seamless journey 

Connected Omnichannel Experience is not simply about being present across multiple channels. It is about connecting data, content, and actions to create one continuous journey. Social media creates demand, Application continues the personalized experience, Payment captures behavior, Partner Ecosystem expands consumption contexts, while CRM and Loyalty sustain the relationship after the transaction. 

For Bank – Finance, this matters because customer journeys are often fragmented. A customer may first see an offer on Social, explore it in the App, use it with a partner, pay by card, and then receive follow-up communication through CRM. If these touchpoints are not connected, the experience can become repetitive, inconsistent, and less relevant. 

Case study: DBS PayLah! – Connected Everyday Banking Experience 

Case study: DBS PayLah! – Connected Everyday Banking Experience 

a. Market context 

As digital payments became mainstream in Singapore, DBS’s challenge was no longer simply getting users to download the app, but keeping PayLah! relevant in everyday life. When customers had to use multiple touchpoints for payments, cards, offers, and loyalty, DBS saw an opportunity to bring them together into an “everyday banking” ecosystem that connected financial transactions with shopping, dining, transport, and lifestyle. 

b. Customer needs 

Customers wanted to make payments, check spending, receive offers, and use reward points without switching between multiple platforms. The previous experience was fragmented across PayLah!, DBS/POSB cards, and a separate rewards app. The core need was therefore not simply more offers, but a convenient experience where benefits and financial behavior could be managed in one place. 

c. Strategic idea 

DBS repositioned PayLah! from a mobile wallet into an everyday app, connecting Payment, Rewards, and Lifestyle within a single journey. Instead of using individual cashback programs to stimulate one-off transactions, the bank created a loop of payment – benefit – spending tracking – reward redemption – continued ecosystem usage. Promotion became part of a long-term experience rather than the end point of a campaign. 

d. How the brand executed it 

DBS integrated rewards into PayLah! so customers could view spending history, receive personalized offers, and redeem rewards within the same app, while also linking DBS/POSB cards to the payment platform. The ecosystem expanded through partnership with yuu Rewards, supermarket, F&B, transport, and a wide range of lifestyle merchants, connecting the experience from App to Payment and then Loyalty at the point of sale. yuu enables customers to earn and redeem the same loyalty currency across more than 1,000 locations, while the DBS yuu card adds another rewards layer across the partner ecosystem. 

e. Results 

PayLah! surpassed 3 million users and processed more than 60% of QR transactions at hawker centres; by 2026, more than 5 million customers were using DBS/POSB cards and/or PayLah! to receive rewards across more than 850 merchant touchpoints. Customers saved a combined SGD 13.7 million through cashback and rewards in the previous year; grocery spending on everyday card portfolios increased 7%, while transport spending increased 5%. This model strengthened DBS’s positioning from a transactional bank into a brand that is regularly present in everyday life. 

4. Gamification & Interactive Engagement: Turning financial transactions into participatory experiences 

Gamification & Interactive Engagement brings game mechanics and interactive elements into the financial journey, turning customers from passive transaction makers into active participants. Instead of simply receiving cashback or a voucher after payment, users can complete missions, collect points, unlock rewards, or join challenges tied directly to their financial behaviors. 

This trend makes activities such as payments, saving, card usage, or spending management more approachable and motivating. Gamification also creates repeated interaction points, encouraging customers to return to the App or ecosystem more frequently rather than only when they need to make a transaction. 

Case study: ACB – “Mã đáo phát tài” 2026 

Case study: ACB – “Mã đáo phát tài” 2026 

a. Market context 

Tet is a period when banks simultaneously launch offers to stimulate deposits, payments, and card usage, making promotion alone increasingly difficult to differentiate. ACB therefore introduced game mechanics into everyday transactions, turning financial activity into a Tet experience with entertainment and interaction built in. 

b. Customer needs 

During Tet, customers still make deposits, pay, shop, and use cards, but financial offers can easily feel similar across brands. ACB tapped into the desire for luck, entertainment, and instant rewards, turning transactions into activities that gave customers a reason to return rather than simply receive cashback after payment. 

c. Strategic idea 

ACB built “Mã đáo phát tài” around a loop of transaction – game turn – interaction – reward – return. Gamification did not exist as a separate mini game; it was directly linked to banking behavior, giving each transaction an added layer of experience and another reason to continue using ACB ONE. 

d. How the brand executed it 

Customers received game turns when completing eligible transactions at branches or on ACB ONE, such as making deposits, purchasing certificates of deposit, making payments, shopping, or using credit cards. In the app, users could roll dice, collect gold coins, and join “Săn thần mã,” with rewards including gold, E-vouchers, and ACB Rewards. Gamification therefore connected directly with Transaction, App Engagement, and Loyalty. 

e. Results 

The online program alone recorded more than 2 million transactions that earned game turns and more than 600,000 participating customers. At branches, ACB also recorded more than 8,000 participants. This shows that gamification created substantial interaction at scale around banking behaviors that would otherwise feel routine. 

5. Financial Wellbeing: From encouraging spending to helping customers spend better 

Financial Wellbeing reflects a shift in the role of financial brands: from primarily driving transactions to helping customers manage money better and make more appropriate financial decisions. Instead of appearing only through cashback, vouchers, or card offers, brands can support customers through Spending Insight, Budget Planning, Smart Recommendation, or Spending Alert. 

At the core of Financial Wellbeing is the use of financial data to create practical value. Transaction data is not only used for cross-selling, but also to provide recommendations that fit each customer’s financial capacity and goals, making the brand more useful in everyday life while strengthening Trust and Loyalty. 

Case study: MoMo – “Quản Lý Chi Tiêu” (Expense Management) 

Case study: MoMo – “Quản Lý Chi Tiêu” (Expense Management) 

a. Market context 

As digital payments become more common, Vietnamese users make many transactions every day but often struggle to see the overall picture of their cash flow. According to MoMo, more than 90% of users have a need for personal financial management, yet only around 8% manage their finances systematically. MoMo’s opportunity was to leverage existing transaction data to expand its role from a payment platform into a tool that supports personal financial management. 

b. Customer needs 

Users want to understand where their money goes, control budgets, and avoid overspending, but manual tracking is time-consuming and difficult to maintain. The gap lies in the fact that transaction data already exists, but has not yet been translated into easy-to-understand insight that supports decision-making. 

c. Strategic idea 

Instead of only encouraging more payments through vouchers and cashback, MoMo turned transaction data into an expense-management assistant. The objective shifted from driving transactions to helping users understand their financial behavior, control budgets, and build better money-management habits. 

d. How the brand executed it 

MoMo uses AI to automatically capture and categorize transactions, compile weekly/monthly reports, allow users to set budgets by category, and send alerts when they are close to or have exceeded their limits. The AI assistant can also answer questions about spending, support goal-setting, and suggest ways to manage money. Everything is integrated directly into the MoMo ecosystem, so users do not need to switch to a separate financial-management app. 

e. Results 

According to MoMo, the Quản Lý Chi Tiêu feature has been used by more than 3 million users to track monthly income and expenses. This scale shows that the need for personal financial management is real and that the solution has achieved significant adoption. More importantly, MoMo has expanded its role from a payment platform into a tool that helps users track, understand, and manage cash flow more effectively. 

KEY TAKEAWAY 

All five trends show that Holiday 2026 in Bank – Finance is shifting from simply pushing transactions toward creating more relevant customer experiences. Hyper-Personalization personalizes value, Embedded Finance places finance directly within the moment of need, Connected Omnichannel Experience connects the journey, Gamification increases interaction and repeat usage, while Financial Wellbeing helps customers manage money better. The focus is therefore no longer just on promotions, but on creating value at the right moment and sustaining long-term relationships. 

IV. PERSPECTIVE & RECOMMENDATIONS FROM NOVAON DIGITAL 

Insights & Recommendations from Novaon Digital

1. Shift from bigger promotions to the right value at the right time 

During the holiday season, increasing cashback or vouchers can drive short-term results, but it is difficult to create sustainable differentiation this way. Brands should begin with real needs such as year-end shopping, travel, gifting, Tet preparation, or family spending, then design benefits that fit each context. The value of an offer therefore lies not only in the size of the discount, but in how relevant it is to customer needs. 

2. Connect touchpoints to extend the customer journey 

A transaction should not be the end point of a campaign. Social, App, Payment, Partner, CRM, and Loyalty need to be connected into one continuous journey, where data from one touchpoint supports the next experience. After a card is opened, a payment is made, or an offer is redeemed, brands should continue creating reasons for customers to return through content, benefits, and personalized offers. 

3. Expand measurement from short-term conversion to long-term value 

Transaction, Acquisition, and Conversion remain important, but they are not enough to reflect the quality of growth. Brands should also track Repeat Usage, Engagement, Retention, Cross-sell, and the ability to retain customers after the campaign to assess whether growth is coming only from short-term promotions or is genuinely creating long-term value for the brand-customer relationship. 

4. From strategy to execution: a connected experience system is required 

To ensure these directions do not remain only as ideas, brands need to build Brand Experience across three layers: Strategy – Creative – Technology. Strategy helps understand users, identify the right financial moments, and design the customer journey; Creative turns Insight into Big Idea, Storytelling, and memorable experiences; Technology connects touchpoints, personalization, interaction, and data so the journey can be sustained end to end. 

For Holiday Marketing, this approach allows brands to do more than participate in the festive season with a short-term campaign. Over time, they can own a Holiday Moment and turn it into a Brand-owned Moment. This is also how Novaon Digital connects Media, Activation, Digital, and Martech within one system, aiming to deliver the right experience to the right person, at the right time, through the right touchpoint – ultimately creating Engagement – Conversion – Loyalty – Growth. 

V. CONCLUSION

Holiday 2026 shows a clear shift in how Bank – Finance brands compete. As cashback, vouchers, and other promotions become increasingly common and easy to replicate, advantage no longer comes from who “gives more,” but from who understands customers more deeply and appears at the exact moment they genuinely need support. 

This also means that brand objectives need to go beyond a single transaction. From Hyper-Personalization and Embedded Finance to Connected Omnichannel Experience, Gamification, and Financial Wellbeing, the common goal is to extend the customer relationship and turn every touchpoint into part of a consistent and valuable experience. 

Therefore, in Holiday 2026, the winning financial brand will not be the one offering the biggest promotion, but the one that designs an experience that makes customers feel understood, supported, and gives them a reason to stay for the long term. 

Cre: Brands Vietnam

Financial behaviors are becoming increasingly digitalized, but customer journeys are not only taking place on screens. Consumers may encounter brands through OOH, interact with DOOH, participate in Activation experiences, and then continue their journey through Mobile Banking, Social platforms, or other digital channels. As financial products and services become increasingly similar, differentiation no longer comes only from product features, but also from how brands create seamless experiences throughout the customer journey. Brand Experience Marketing 2026 raises the challenge of connecting OOH, DOOH, Activation, and Digital into a unified journey, guiding customers from awareness to engagement and action. 

I. INTRODUCTION

1. Brief Overview

OOh builds presence, DOOH drives engagement

In an increasingly digitalized media ecosystem, OOH still maintains an advantage that Digital channels cannot completely replace: the ability to bring brands into real-world spaces and customers’ daily movement flows.

Metro systems, airports, shopping malls, office buildings, and high-traffic areas allow brands to reach customers in specific contexts, rather than simply waiting for them to actively open a Digital platform. In particular, the development of DOOH is significantly expanding this role. While traditional OOH primarily relies on static content and fixed scheduling, DOOH enables brands to use dynamic content, adjust messages based on time, location, or context, while also opening opportunities to connect with Mobile through QR codes and interactive formats. This shift is clearly reflected in industry investment levels. In 2025, OOH spending among the Consumer Banking sector in the US increased by 34%, indicating that Outdoor is becoming a notable component in financial brands’ customer reach strategies.

Research from OAAA and Harris Poll shows that 76% of people who have been exposed to DOOH advertising took an action afterward. Among Mobile users, 74% stated that they had taken an action on their phones after seeing DOOH, including actions such as searching for brand information, visiting websites, or accessing Social Media. These figures demonstrate an important shift in the way Outdoor is perceived: a physical touchpoint can completely trigger subsequent Digital behavior. A DOOH screen can spark customers’ curiosity and encourage them to search for a brand. A QR code on OOH can directly lead them to a Landing Page or App. Content placed in the right context can help customers recognize a need that they had not previously actively searched for.

For Bank Finance, this represents a significant advantage because many financial products have relatively long Customer Journeys. Customers may begin by seeing a message, then researching, comparing, considering, and finally registering.

2. Market Context and User Behavior

The digitalization process is fundamentally changing how users access financial services. Mobile Banking, QR Payment, eKYC, Digital Account, and cashless payment are no longer unfamiliar concepts. They are gradually becoming common actions in everyday life.

In Vietnam, during the first nine months of 2025, the number of non-cash payment transactions increased by 43.32% compared to the same period. Notably, QR transactions increased by 61.63% in volume and 150.67% in value. Transactions through mobile devices also increased by 37.37% in volume.

These changes show that Mobile is becoming one of the central elements in personal financial journeys. Customers can open accounts, transfer money, make payments, manage cards, save money, or access investment products without necessarily visiting a branch. Continuous investment by banks in Digital Banking is also narrowing the gap in terms of features. Online account opening, eKYC, money transfers, QR payments, card management, or savings through Apps are no longer highly differentiated experiences. Users can find similar options across multiple banks.

This creates a shift in competitive criteria. A fast and convenient application can help customers complete transactions. However, brand experience is shaped by many other factors: how the bank understands their needs, how the brand appears in their daily lives, how products are explained, how trust is built, and how interaction continues after transactions.

3. Consumer Behavior

Having become familiar with fast and seamless Digital experiences, customers no longer expect banks to provide only convenient services. They also expect brands to understand their individual needs. This is particularly evident in Bank Finance because the motivation for using the same product can vary significantly among different customer groups.

The Accenture Banking Consumer Study 2025 shows that 72% of customers stated that personalization influences their choice of bank, but only 3% actually use personalization tools provided by their primary bank. This gap highlights a notable challenge: customers have higher expectations for personalized experiences, while the ability to transform data into truly relevant experiences remains insufficient. Although financial journeys take place on Digital platforms, the nature of the industry remains unchanged: customers are giving brands access to their money, data, and decisions that directly impact their lives.

4. The Challenge: OOH Is No Longer Simply a Broad-Reach Media Channel

Accenture states that 73% of customers are using additional services from banks other than their primary bank, while 58% have purchased a financial product from a new provider within the past 12 months. These figures reflect the increasingly flexible nature of customer choices: they do not necessarily remain loyal to a single bank for all financial needs.

This creates a clear challenge for brands: how to create enough differentiation for customers to remember, trust, and continue choosing them? OOH can help brands reach customers in physical spaces. DOOH can make messages more flexible. Digital can help customers research and register. However, if each touchpoint only performs its own individual role, the overall journey can still become fragmented.

II. MARKETING COMBINING OOH, DOOH AND ACTIVATION

1. The Combination of OOH/DOOH and Activation

OOH/DOOH: Creating a physical presence and grabbing attention in the real world

OOH/DOOH: Creating Presence and Capturing Attention in Physical Spaces

OOH helps brands appear in specific contexts where customers live and move, such as Metro, Airport, Shopping Mall, Office Building, University, or event areas. This is an important advantage for Bank Finance, as brands can select spaces that are suitable for different customer groups and financial needs.

DOOH expands the capabilities of OOH through dynamic content, allowing messages to change based on time, location, data, or context. As a result, the same campaign can deliver different content depending on where customers are exposed to it.

More importantly, OOH/DOOH can create subsequent actions rather than simply stopping at being seen. According to research from OAAA and Harris Poll, 76% of people who have been exposed to DOOH stated that they took an action afterward; among Mobile users, 74% took an action on their phones. Common actions include searching for information, accessing Websites, and Social Media.

Activation: Adding Layers of Experience and Trust

Activation takes the attention generated by communication and transforms customers from observers into direct participants. This is particularly meaningful for Bank Finance. Products such as investment, wealth management, security, or financial solutions are often difficult to fully communicate through a single advertising message. Direct experiences allow brands to explain products, interact with customers, answer specific concerns, and create a sense of trust before customers make decisions. Therefore, Activation should not necessarily be understood as a large-scale event. It can be an interactive experience, a consultation area, a product trial activity, or an experience format designed to suit each customer group.

Digital: Continuing the Experience in the Personal Environment

After customers interact with OOH/DOOH or Activation, Digital becomes the natural continuation layer of the journey. Landing Pages, Apps, Social, or registration platforms help customers continue exploring and take specific actions such as registering for products, receiving offers, or completing eKYC. At the same time, Digital helps brands capture signals from customers. A QR Scan, a Website visit, or a Lead generated after Activation can all become data points to continue personalizing content and customer engagement.

Social: Extending the Experience Beyond Physical Spaces

If Activation creates experiences for people who directly participate, Social allows those experiences to continue reaching people who are not present at the location. UGC, Creator Content, Social Conversation, or content generated during Activation can become materials for brands to continue the story on Social. Therefore, a physical experience is no longer limited by the number of people present at the location, but can be amplified through online communities. As a result, OOH/DOOH, Activation, Digital, and Social are no longer activities implemented in parallel. Each touchpoint performs a different role but works toward a unified Customer Journey.

2. Key Trends in 2026 for the Bank Finance Industry

The combination of OOH, DOOH, and Activation is expanding in multiple directions, especially as Data, AI, and technology are increasingly integrated into experience design. For the Bank Finance industry, the following six trends demonstrate how brands can transform communication touchpoints into experiences with stronger interaction and greater continuity.

Prominent trends in 2026 for the Banking and Financial sector

2.1. AI-powered Personalization

AI and Data are helping brands shift from general messages to experiences that are more relevant to each customer group and each context.

In OOH/DOOH, content can be adjusted based on location, time, or Audience groups. A screen at an Airport can prioritize Travel Card messages, while an Office Building area can focus on Saving or Investment. This personalization can then continue on Digital platforms. Based on customer behaviors and needs, brands can provide more relevant Offers or product content instead of continuing to use a general message.

For Bank Finance, this approach can be applied to various product groups such as Travel Card, Saving, Investment, Digital Account, or Premium Banking. The key value of AI-powered Personalization does not lie in creating more advertising variations, but in delivering the right message to the right person in the right context.

2.2. QR-led Engagement

QR is becoming one of the simplest bridges between OOH/DOOH and smartphones. However, the value of QR should not stop at directing customers to a Website. After scanning, brands can open opportunities for a Quiz, Game, Personalized Offer, consultation tools, product registration, or direct experiences on the App.

This is particularly suitable for Bank Finance because QR scanning behavior has become familiar in digital payments in Vietnam. During the first nine months of 2025, QR transactions increased by 61.63% in volume and 150.67% in value compared to the same period. Therefore, QR on OOH/DOOH can become a transition point between mass experiences and personal experiences.

2.3. Gamified OOH

Gamification introduces game elements into OOH/DOOH to increase customers’ active participation.

For Bank Finance, this is a notable approach because content such as savings, investment, payments, or financial knowledge is often rational in nature and difficult to attract attention when communicated only through advertising messages.

Gamification can make these topics more accessible. A brand can build a Game around saving goals, a Quiz about spending habits, or a simulation experience showing how financial choices can influence future outcomes.

2.4. Social-first Activation

Activation is increasingly being designed with the goal of creating Social content from the beginning, rather than simply organizing an event and only considering communication afterward.

Formats such as Personalized Content, AI Photo, Video, Creator Experience, Challenge, or Social Wall can transform participants into part of the content. This creates an important shift in how Activation is evaluated. The scale of an experience is no longer measured only by the number of people directly present at the location. Participants can share the experience with their own communities. A Creator can bring content from Activation to thousands or millions of followers. Suitable UGC can continue generating discussions even after the event ends.

For Bank Finance, Social-first Activation therefore creates a connection between direct experiences and community-driven reach, helping brands maintain presence even after Activation has ended.

2.5. Live Experiential Commerce

Activation is moving closer to business actions rather than stopping only at Engagement.

For Bank Finance, customers can experience the brand, receive consultation, and continue completing registration steps directly at the Activation point. Actions such as eKYC, account opening, card registration, information submission, or receiving offers can be directly integrated into the experience. Instead of allowing customers to recall the experience after leaving the event and then continue searching for products on Digital, brands can bring the next step directly into the experience.

2.6. Immersive Storytelling

Immersive Storytelling uses 3D DOOH, AR, Interactive Installation, or Immersive Space to help brands communicate financial stories in a more visual way.

This approach is suitable for intangible values in Bank Finance such as security, asset growth, future planning, or financial benefits. Instead of only talking about a Benefit, brands can create experiences that allow customers to directly explore that Benefit.

For example, an Interactive experience can simulate how assets grow over time. An AR Experience can help customers explore card benefits. A 3D DOOH can transform messages about security or technology into more visual and memorable content.

Section Summary

Overall, the six trends above demonstrate a shift in how Bank Finance brands build experiences. OOH and DOOH are increasingly capable of moving beyond awareness creation and becoming the starting point of interaction. Activation adds a layer of direct experience, helping customers understand products and build trust. Digital continues the journey in a personal environment, where customers can explore, register, and use products. Social helps experiences taking place in physical spaces continue to be shared and amplified.

The common point among these trends does not lie in how many technologies brands use or how many channels they add. More importantly, each touchpoint must create conditions for customers to continue their journey instead of ending the experience immediately at that point. This is also the difference between Multi-channel and Connected Experience. Multi-channel focuses on brands being present in multiple places; Connected Experience focuses on how those places connect with each other within the same customer journey.

III. CASE STUDY 

Case study: HSBC urban experience, Financial technology: smart kiosk, VP Bank music event in 2025

Case 1. OOH/DOOH Leading Customer Experience 

HSBC UK – The Homeless Bank Account 

Background and Challenge: For people without a fixed address, accessing traditional banking services can become a significant barrier. Without a permanent address, they may face difficulties opening a bank account, while the lack of access to banking services can further limit their ability to receive salaries, access benefits, and participate in the financial system. HSBC UK, in partnership with Shelter, developed the No Fixed Address service, enabling people without a permanent address to access banking services with support from participating organizations. Therefore, the challenge of the campaign was not simply to communicate a new service, but to deliver information about the solution to the people who needed it most. 

Insight and Idea: Instead of maximizing reach among a broad audience, HSBC identified areas with high concentrations of homeless individuals and locations near HSBC branches that could provide support. OOH was therefore selected based on the real-life context of the target audience. The media placement was not only a communication channel, but also became part of the solution itself. The core idea was to bring information about the service directly to locations where the need existed. 

Execution: HSBC deployed OOH advertising across locations relevant to the target audience, providing information about the No Fixed Address service. The campaign also integrated QR codes, allowing interested individuals to continue learning about the program and the support provided by Shelter. As a result, the advertisement was not simply a brand message. It became a pathway that enabled people to discover and access a practical financial solution. 

Touchpoint Integration: OOH created awareness in the right physical context. QR codes created a bridge between the offline environment and digital information. Supporting organizations and HSBC branches continued the customer journey at the next stage. The key point was that advertising was not designed as the final touchpoint. Instead, it became part of the process of connecting people with the right support and solution. 

Results:Within two weeks of the OOH campaign launch, the number of No Fixed Address accounts opened increased by 52%. The donations generated through QR interactions also helped Shelter support more than 100 people experiencing homelessness, while one in five people who scanned the QR code became regular supporters. 

Key Learnings for Banking & Finance: The HSBC case demonstrates that OOH should not only be evaluated through reach and exposure metrics. When Audience, Location, Message, and Action are strategically connected, Outdoor Media can become an integral part of the solution a brand aims to deliver. For Banking & Finance brands, this creates a new perspective: instead of only asking “Where can we place advertising to maximize visibility?”, brands should consider “Who needs this message, where are they located, and what action can they take after seeing it?” 

Case 2. DOOH Combined with Data and Technology 

Orange Bank – Programmatic DOOH 

Background and Challenge: DOOH provides brands with strong visibility and large-scale reach. However, brands still face an important challenge: how to leverage Outdoor Media with capabilities that have become common in Digital Media, including targeting, contextual delivery, optimization, and measurement. Orange Bank used Programmatic DOOH to promote its Premium Card and related offers in France, demonstrating how Data and Technology can transform the way Outdoor campaigns are planned, delivered, and measured. 

Insight and Idea: Instead of viewing Outdoor Media as a fixed system with predetermined content and schedules, Programmatic DOOH brings Digital Media capabilities into physical environments. Content can be distributed more flexibly based on location, timing, and contextual factors, allowing brands to reach audiences at more relevant moments. 

Execution: The campaign was deployed across 1,383 screens at 1,241 locations, focusing on cities where Orange Bank had physical presence and operating between 9 AM and 9 PM. Content was dynamically rotated instead of relying on a single creative format throughout the campaign, enabling messages to become more relevant based on campaign conditions. The key difference between traditional OOH and Programmatic DOOH lies in the ability to use data and technology throughout the distribution process, allowing screens to become more than static advertising placements. 

Touchpoint Integration: Data was used to optimize content distribution and campaign delivery. Campaign effectiveness was then evaluated not only through impressions but also through Brand Lift measurements. Orange Bank conducted a Mobile Programmatic survey with 655 participants to evaluate the impact on Brand Awareness and Consideration. This approach brought Outdoor Media closer to Digital measurement thinking, where campaign effectiveness is assessed through changes in consumer perception and intent. 

Results: The campaign generated approximately 8 million impressions, while achieving a 24-point increase in Brand Awareness and a 46% increase in Consideration, according to Displayce’s case study. A VIOOH case study also reported that 49% of consumers exposed to the campaign showed positive intent to learn more about Orange Bank’s offer. 

Key Learnings for Banking & Finance: The Orange Bank case demonstrates that Data and Technology do not replace the fundamental role of OOH. Instead, they expand its capabilities. DOOH maintains the strength of physical visibility while gaining additional capabilities in content optimization, audience relevance, and campaign measurement. For Banking & Finance brands, this approach is particularly valuable for campaigns that need to communicate different products, offers, or messages to different customer segments. 

Case 3. Activation Connecting Digital and Social 

VPBank – K Star Spark in Vietnam 2025 

Background and Challenge: As banking products become increasingly similar, brands need to find new approaches to become closer and more relevant to customers, especially younger audiences. Instead of only communicating product features and benefits, VPBank chose Culture and Music as the foundation to create a large-scale brand experience through K Star Spark in Vietnam 2025. 

Insight and Idea: For younger audiences, Music and Pop Culture can create natural motivations for them to actively participate. Instead of starting the conversation with banking products, VPBank built the experience around artists and content that the target audience was genuinely interested in, including G-Dragon and CL. The important point is that Activation did not operate independently. The experience was connected with VPBank’s Digital ecosystem and product-related programs. 

Execution: K Star Spark was developed into a large-scale experience featuring Concert activities, interactive experiences, and mechanisms connected with VPBank’s ecosystem. Some ticket benefits and promotional programs were linked with VPBank NEO and product usage conditions. According to YouNet Media, VPBank’s communication activities for Super Sinh Lời also connected benefits with actions such as account opening and fund deposits. Through this approach, Culture and Music created the reason for customers to engage, Activation created the experience, while Digital connected the experience with products. 

Touchpoint Integration: The event experience generated content and conversations on Social platforms. Social continued to amplify the event to audiences who were not directly present. At the same time, Digital mechanisms helped customers move from interest to specific actions related to products.  

Results: According to VPBank, K Star Spark in Vietnam attracted more than 40,000 attendees, generated over 128 million impressions, and achieved more than 30 million Social engagements. From a business perspective, VPBank recorded a 45% increase in new credit cards, more than 51% growth in card spending, nearly 30,000 Super Sinh Lời accounts opened, and more than VND 4,000 billion increase in CASA deposits during the reported period. YouNet Media also recorded VPBank as the leading banking brand on Social Media in May 2025, with discussions increasing by 178.9% and participants increasing by 367.5% compared to the previous month. 

Lessons for the Bank Finance Industry: The key learning from K Star Spark does not only lie in the scale of a Concert. More importantly, it is the way the brand uses Culture to generate interest, Activation to create experiences, Digital to connect with products, and Social to extend the experience. For Bank Finance, this is an approach that allows brands to move beyond communication focused only on product features and benefits. When brands can appear in areas that customers genuinely care about, experiences have the opportunity to become more natural and create more reasons for customers to actively interact.

IV. NOVAON SOLUTIONS FOR BANK FINANCE BRAND EXPERIENCE

Novaon solutions for brand experience bank finance

1. Connecting OOH/DOOH with the Entire Customer Journey

Instead of implementing OOH/DOOH as an independent Media activity, Novaon can position Outdoor within an overall Customer Journey, clearly defining the role of each touchpoint from Awareness to Engagement and Conversion.

OOH creates presence in spaces capable of reaching the right customer groups. DOOH increases content flexibility through context, time, and interactive technology. Activation receives that attention and transforms it into direct experiences, while Digital continues the journey through Landing Pages, Apps, Lead Forms, or registration platforms.

This approach aligns with Novaon Digital’s Brand Experience direction, where Strategy, Technology, and Creativity are used to build connected experiences rather than optimizing each individual touchpoint separately.

2. Designing OOH/DOOH Based on Context and Objectives

OOH/DOOH should not be selected based only on Reach. For Bank Finance, location, audience, and needs at each specific moment need to be incorporated from the strategy development stage.

Novaon can develop a touchpoint system based on different contexts:

• Airport: Travel Card, international payments, travel insurance.
• Office Building: Saving, Investment, Wealth Management.
• Shopping Mall: Credit Card, Digital Banking, Loyalty.
• Metro and transportation areas: Digital Account, Payment, and products with frequent usage needs.

DOOH can then be used to adjust content according to each context, allowing the same campaign to deliver different messages to different customer groups. The objective is to transform Location from simply an advertising placement into a part of the experience strategy.

3. Transforming OOH/DOOH into Activation Touchpoints

One of the biggest gaps of OOH is that customers may see the brand but may not necessarily have a reason to continue interacting.

Novaon can design OOH/DOOH from the beginning with a clear Next Action. QR, Interactive Content, Mini Game, or Digital mechanisms can be integrated so customers can continue the experience on their Smartphones.

At suitable locations, Outdoor touchpoints can be directly connected with Activation. Customers see the message, interact, and are guided toward an experience space, consultation area, or registration process.

4. Connecting Experience with Data and Technology

When customers interact with QR, Landing Page, Activation, or Lead Form, these behaviors create valuable signals for brands.

Novaon Digital can connect Digital touchpoints and data to continue segmenting, nurturing, and personalizing customer experiences. Novaon’s website currently identifies Technology as one of the three core capabilities for transforming Brand Experience, alongside Strategy and Creativity.

For Bank Finance, the system can be designed to continue the journey after Activation: customers who have interacted are recorded, categorized based on their needs, and continue receiving suitable content or Offers on Digital platforms.

5. Implementation Model: Strategy – Creative – Technology

This is the model Novaon Digital is currently applying in its Brand Experience approach, where Strategy focuses on Insight and the journey, Creative creates differentiated experiences, and Technology helps connect and enhance the effectiveness of those experiences.

• Strategy defines the Customer Journey, Audience, the role of each touchpoint, and the KPI system throughout the campaign.
• Creative builds a Big Idea and a consistent experience system from OOH/DOOH to Activation, Digital, and Social.
• Technology connects touchpoints, data, and customer actions, from QR, Landing Pages, Lead Forms to suitable Digital and CRM systems.

CONCLUSION

The Bank Finance industry is becoming increasingly digitalized, but this does not mean that customer experiences only take place in the Digital environment. Customers still interact with brands in physical spaces, starting from an OOH/DOOH advertisement, continuing their exploration on Digital platforms, participating in direct experiences, and finally taking actions on digital platforms. As financial products and services become increasingly similar, the connection between these touchpoints becomes an important factor for brands to create differentiation.

In this context, OOH and DOOH are expanding from roles focused on creating reach into touchpoints capable of stimulating interaction and driving action. Therefore, Brand Experience Marketing 2026 is no longer centered on how many channels a brand appears on. The value lies in how OOH/DOOH creates attention, Activation creates experiences, Digital continues the journey, and Social amplifies those experiences. When touchpoints are designed to complement one another, brands can create a more unified journey, from awareness, interaction, and trust building to action.

Cre: Brands Vietnam