When I was a kid, I loved any bank that had a lollipop for me 🍭
By Mikeblack · July 1, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
When I was a kid, I loved any bank that had a lollipop for me 🍭
I’m dating myself but the weekly trip to the local bank with my mom to cash checks and get money for groceries and clothes was a ritual
Banking has changed quite a bit since then but the importance of building emotional connections and lasting memories has not
And guess what?
some banks inherently do this better than others
They connect better with the values, beliefs and passion points of consumers and that connection builds a cultural resonance that fuels differentiation, banking preference and sustained growth
You can see this play out in our latest Cultural Matrix for the retail banking sector
Banks like Chase and Citi are separating from the pack through a combination of strong cultural resonance and “zeitgeist” momentum that extends broadly across:
Generations
Multicultural consumers
Gender identity
Parents
At Collage Group , we’ve correlated the relationship between cultural resonance (what we measure as B-CFQ) and purchase intent
This means that banks who build cultural resonance are constantly creating new pools of consumers who are primed for acquisition, conversion and cross sell
So quite literally, Chase and Citi are taking culture to the bank.
To read our full competitive breakdown. see the link in the comments below 👇