Client Overview

Ohridska Banka Societe Generale (OBSG), now officially part of Sparkasse Bank, has long positioned itself as a customer-focused institution, with innovation and inclusivity at the heart of its operations. With the banking landscape rapidly shifting toward digital-first services, OBSG wanted to get ahead — not just by upgrading their mobile app, but by involving their future customers directly in the process.

The Challenge

Mobile banking is no longer a “nice-to-have.” It’s the first touchpoint between banks and their users — especially among younger generations. OBSG recognized this shift early. They approached us with a clear but multi-layered challenge:

• How do we design a mobile banking experience that truly resonates with younger users?
  
  
• How do we turn awareness into engagement — and engagement into long-term loyalty?
  
  

At the core of the challenge was the need to co-create with the next generation of banking users. The solution had to do more than just improve features; it had to bridge the gap between technology and people, between the bank and its future clients.

Our Approach

To get meaningful answers, we had to go straight to the source. So we brought the audience into the process through one of the most powerful tools in our toolkit: a crowdsourced Hackathon.

We designed and delivered OBSG BUZZ Hackathon, a 3-day creative sprint that brought together 50 ambitious and tech-savvy young participants from diverse backgrounds — all united by one challenge: Reimagine the mobile banking experience.

Here’s how it worked:

• We kicked off with research to define the user personas and gather insights on mobile banking behavior among young people in Macedonia.
  
  
• Then, we launched a digital-first communication campaign to recruit participants — not just coders, but designers, marketers, business students, and fintech enthusiasts.
  
  
• At the Hackathon itself, we used Design Thinking methodology to guide every team through the full cycle — from empathy to ideation to prototyping and testing.
  
  
• The 9 teams were mentored by experts and bank representatives, ensuring feasibility while maintaining creative freedom.
  
  

The event wasn’t just about solving a business problem. It became a two-way conversation between the brand and its future users, enabling the bank to listen, learn, and build something people actually want.

Outcomes

• 9 fully developed mobile banking concepts designed by potential users.
  
  
• The winning concept, “My Bank, My Friend,” offered a simplified UI, peer-to-peer transfers, customizable dashboards, and intelligent savings nudges. The solution was considered for further development by OBSG.
  
  
• 50+ participants actively engaged with the brand — many of them becoming new app users and long-term brand advocates.
  
  
• Direct interaction between the bank and users created a feedback loop that influenced product development.
  
  
• Significant boost in OBSG’s brand perception among younger audiences, reinforcing its position as an innovative and inclusive banking partner.

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