Text adapted from Stratégies magazine, No. 2298 (Dossier Santé), written by Sarah Najid (CBA Growth, Marketing and Communication Director).

Anxiety, sleep, menstruation: behind every health ailment, there is a solitude. Brands that dare to understand this feeling, and create spaces for recognition to lift taboos, are doing more than marketing. They are creating belonging. And that creates growth.

Understand Before you Create.

86% of consumers believe all brands look alike¹. In health, particularly in OTC (Over-The-Counter) products, this lack of differentiation comes at a cost: substitution, erosion of preference, loss of margin. But audacity doesn’t start with a creative flourish. It begins with understanding the lived experience. Not just the symptoms, but what people truly go through: the anxiety one dares not name, the sleep one struggles to reclaim, the solitude in the face of malaise. It is this deep understanding that reveals the insight: behind every health problem, there is a solitude. And breaking this solitude is creating growth.

But daring in health means walking a tightrope. Too institutional, and you’re invisible. Too lifestyle, and you lose credibility. The French are unforgiving: 86% prefer humble brands, and 71% distrust what they read¹. In a highly regulated European landscape, successful brands combine audacity with pharmaceutical rigor. They dare to show emotion; without drifting into “wellness fluff.”

Audacity in Health: Uniting

CBA specializes in leveraging innovative brand strategies to redefine categories and build strong communities. For the health industry this means consistently demonstrates how embracing boldness can foster profound unity and connection.

Triptomax

 From “I am alone” to “we are many.” Emotional health. A French taboo, a ‘cold’ category. The starting point was the feeling: anxiety, stress – it’s primarily the solitude of feeling abnormal or out of place.

The answer: Max, an illustrated brain that navigates these moods. Audacity begins on the packaging: vibrant magenta, an empathetic tone, with Max humanizing the product right on the shelf. Then it extends beyond the pack: on social media, Max sparks conversation. “You feel this way too? That’s normal.” Meme language, humor, peer-to-peer.

The result: thousands of interactions, destigmatized conversations, a community that transforms. And this transformation, from solitude to belonging, creates preference, loyalty, and growth.

Discover the project

Dormi

 From “I can’t do it” to “us too.” Here, the same approach: understand first. Sleep is often an anxiety experienced alone.

The answer: on the pack, reassuring colors and clarity. Beyond the pack, a soothing territory: the evening ritual. “Slow evening,” micro-gestures, gentle preparation. A peer-to-peer tone of voice: inform, not prescribe.

The result: a community that recognizes itself, an umbrella brand that unites.

Discover the project

And examples abound:

Billie invades Paris with giant armpits: body positivity.
Libresse shows menstrual blood, committing to fighting period poverty.
Hims destigmatizes baldness and male sexual health.

These brands create spaces where people recognize themselves, speak out, and accept themselves. From solitude to community. 79% of consumers want their money to go to brands that reflect their values¹.

Audacity is first and foremost a cultural understanding. Breaking solitude in health requires deep observation: listening to cultural taboos and unspoken truths. Then daring: on the packaging, in the voice, in the commitment. Audacity isn’t just visual. Brands must build this difference everywhere. Transforming solitude into belonging is transforming belonging into growth.

Cold brands isolate.
Human brands unite.

Sources: ¹ VML, Future 100 Report, 2026

Cold brands isolate.
Human brands unite.

Sources: ¹ VML, Future 100 Report, 2026

In a market where standing out has become one of the biggest challenges, the international branding agency CBA stands out by offering a remedy to what it calls the “distinction crisis.” Under the leadership of Cécile Ayed, CEO of the CBA network, the company combines global scale with a deeply human approach.

Credit : Cécile Ayed, CEO of the CBA network, featured in Forbes

/ big small: A powerful yet agile agency

With 320 experts across 9 studios in Europe, the U.S., Asia, and Latin America, CBA brings together the strengths of a big agency, including tech and data muscle via WPP, with the flexibility and personal touch of a smaller, entrepreneurial structure. As Cécile Ayed explains: “After more than 30 years in branding, having the chance to write the next chapter of CBA, with this entrepreneurial spirit and backing from a group like WPP, was immediately appealing.” This setup ensures strong senior involvement and a tailor-made service for each client.

/ Putting human ideas first in the age of AI

As AI becomes more prevalent, CBA emphasizes the primacy of human creativity.

“What people buy are ideas that move them, surprise them, and leave a mark,” Ayed says. CBA refers to its work as “Unordinary Ideas” – for instance, their concept for Nescafé Espresso Concentrate: identifying that a third of young people’s coffee consumption happens as iced coffee outside the home, they designed a “barista & mixology house,” transforming coffee into a social experience.

Their “AI-E” approach (which combines synthetic research with insights from ethnographers) refines their understanding of consumers and speeds up the identification of differentiating signals – freeing up the team to focus on where they add real value: bold, strategic creativity. As Ayed puts it, “At CBA, we are strategic in our creativity, and creative in our strategy.”

Discover Nescafé Espresso Concentrate

/ A multicultural and deeply rooted presence

CBA’s recent integration with Coley Porter Bell in 2025 strengthened its foothold in mature markets like the UK and USA, building on its already solid presence in Latin America and Asia – regions that continue to grow rapidly. In a context where 80% of large brands struggle to maintain differentiation, Ayed gives a clear piece of advice to business leaders: “To succeed, a brand must dare. Not daring is today’s biggest risk.” This bold mindset underpins CBA’s “Unordinary Ideas,” which aim to emotionally engage audiences and drive lasting growth.

Since Covid, 80% of leading brands have lost their edge in differentiation. Today, brands have no choice but to surprise, and to co-create with their audiences.

To succeed, a brand has to dare. Playing it safe is now the biggest risk of all.

Cécile Ayed, Présidente du réseau CBA

People expect brands to take action.
First, a brand needs the legitimacy to stand for a cause.
Then, it must have the means to act on it consistently over time.

/ The future belongs to brands that dare

In a constantly changing world, the ability to reinvent oneself is essential for long-term success.

The brands that thrive today don’t just follow – they inspire and resonate. They dare to break conventions, define their own rules, and express a unique and authentic identity.

At CBA, we see ourselves as catalysts of this transformation. We encourage brands to trust themselves, embrace boldness, and use innovation as a real driver of impact. We don’t just listen to cultures and communities; we aim to transcend them. Guided by this philosophy, every act of communication can become a defining, meaningful, and coherent moment.

The future belongs to the brands that dare.

If you’re ready to bring your brand vision to life, get in touch with us.

We’d love to spark Unordinary Ideas together.

Let's talk!

Brands are increasingly transforming their retail locations into genuine Food & Beverage (F&B) venues, whether as permanent experiences or event activations. Is this simply a fad or a carefully orchestrated marketing strategy? What are the stakes? What are the levers of success? And above all: can any brand embark on this bold transformation?

Prepare to dive in: discover our selection of the most successful F&B spaces and our analysis to assess together the value of such an approach.

/ F&B: A long-term trend, not a novelty

The F&B space is becoming more common, but its origin is not new. As always, luxury brands paved the way with elegance and a forward-looking vision.

Hermès, as early as 2010, was among the first to offer a discreet and refined experience, extending the high-end customer experience while reinforcing the idea of a “house” and personalised service. But the most emblematic icon remains certainly Tiffany & Co.. Capitalising on a cultural imagery that had existed for decades — the mythic Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Blake Edwards — the jeweller concretised this strong and unique cultural reference in a physical place as early as 2017. A gift to its clientele, which the clientele rewarded well, by creating a phenomenal buzz and transforming the café into a destination in its own right.

Another pioneer, for different reasons, is Polo Ralph Lauren, which as early as 1999 opened restaurants and bars with coherence and a deep integration of F&B into a broad lifestyle-brand ecosystem, where every detail is an extension of the Ralph Lauren aesthetic.

Tiffany capitalized on a cultural imagery that had existed for decades; Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Blake Edwards is one of those legendary films that helped shape the myth of New York. The innovation here was not so much the idea of having a café inside a store — something others were already doing — but rather in bringing a strong and unique cultural reference linked to the brand to life in a physical space. This created phenomenal buzz and turned the café into a destination in its own right.

It was pioneering in the way it transformed brand storytelling into a tangible, ultra-desirable F&B experience.

/ Why is it strategically interesting? The Levers of a Signature F&B Experience

Embodying a style, claiming a cultural reference, or making one’s values and approach to service tangible are all obvious ways to enhance brand equity.

However, at a time when attention has become a scarce currency, when every brand fights to exist both online and offline, and when societal expectations dictate new rules, the stakes and motivations for taking the plunge are radically different. They require a complete rethinking of traditional approaches in order to stand out and ensure economic viability.

Discover below the four key strategic advantages that make a signature F&B experience an essential asset for your brand’s performance:

1/ The brand put to the palate test: a full-scale test of its positioning

In a daily life saturated with messaging, notifications and solicitations of all kinds, brands struggle to capture attention and make their voice heard. Experience becomes the most powerful way to gain visibility and tangibility. And successful retailers know this: F&B imposes itself as a concrete and impactful medium for embodying brand positioning, offering them a tremendous tool to materialise their value proposition and stand out in the ambient cacophony.

Concretely, every element of their F&B space becomes an extension of their positioning. A brand focused on sports performance may offer a menu optimised for recovery and energy, with clean and functional design; something a shoe alone cannot convey. A brand celebrating boldness and creativity will distinguish itself through sculptural culinary creations and unexpected flavours, defying visual and gustatory conventions. Transposing a retail experience into a culinary experience multiplies the points of contact (decoration, dishware, materials, culinary offering…), and consequently the opportunities to tell their story.

This sensory immersion allows brands to test the relevancy and power of their promise in a different context. The refinement of flavours, presentation of dishes, quality of ingredients or originality of culinary concept validate the brand’s DNA and its storytelling ability.

Through this concrete and multi-sensory demonstration, the brand succeeds in materialising its identity and making its message resonate with an unmatched force.

More than a simple value proposition, it creates a lifestyle and a mindset that prove the solidity and relevancy of its positioning. F&B becomes the tangible proof of this intrinsic value, allowing the brand to clearly differentiate itself and assert its leadership in consumers’ minds, far beyond a mere product.

/ RH - RESTORATION HARDWARE

RH Paris, a Parisian furniture brand, positions itself as a curator of style, using its dining spaces to embody both the atmosphere and lifestyle that the aesthetics of its collections create once the furniture is placed in a home.

Offering an aesthetic, an ambiance, a dream, and a way of life, RH brings its brand promise to life for its clients, immersing them fully in its world. The brand designs its retail spaces following the model of galleries, complete with dining areas -restaurants, cafés, and wine bars- as well as a Source Book, a catalogue conceived as an art book.

With Le Jardin RH, located beneath a glass roof inspired by the Grand Palais and overlooking the Louvre, the brand takes the concept even further -extending it to the menu itself and paying tribute to this exceptional location through sculptural dishes such as the signature “The Tower.”

/ gentle monster x nudake

The South Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster stands out for its boutiques designed as immersive art galleries, where its glasses are displayed like works of art. In line with this bold and radical approach, its parent company IICOMBINED created Nudake, an F&B space offering sculptural, avant-garde pastries that challenge visual and gustatory conventions — a direct reflection of the brand’s experimental creativity and audacity.

/ Lego house – lego discovery centers

Lego House (Billund, Denmark) and several Lego Discovery Centers also feature restaurants and cafés, the most iconic of which is the “Mini Chef” restaurant at Lego House.

The Mini Chef restaurant is a fully immersive and playful F&B experience. Guests build their orders using Lego bricks, which are then sent to the kitchen via a conveyor belt. Meals are served by robots, often in boxes inspired by classic Lego packaging. The décor is entirely Lego-themed, making it a perfect brand extension that celebrates creativity, play, and imagination; even at mealtime.

2/ Emotion on the menu: forging an indelible connection with the brand

Facing growing digitisation of commercial and human interactions, and increasing isolation, there is a keen search for “real-life” experiences.

The F&B space is the perfect place where this human joy of living takes shape — becoming a very good lever for retailers to inject an emotional dimension and a deep, memorable connection, thus transcending the merely transactional experience and creating a true rupture with online shopping spaces.

Concretely, F&B activates simultaneously all the senses of the consumer: taste and smell for the dishes, sight for the décor and presentation, touch for textures and materials, hearing for the ambient sound. It is this multi-sensory stimulation that transforms a classic purchasing act into a memorable experience. But beyond that. Eating out is both a moment of sociability and conviviality par excellence. These moments of sharing and exchange, inherently human, bring a dimension of authenticity and warmth to the brand. By associating itself with these moments of shared pleasure, the brand anchors itself in the daily lives of its customers, strengthening their attachment and their perception of it as a positive actor in their social life.

The brand no longer sells just a product; it sells a living space that stimulates the senses and generates pleasure and surprise — a proposition that contrasts strongly with the pursuit of efficiency and speed toward which our modern societies tend. F&B thus becomes a space where one reconnects to the essential, creating a memorable experience, far richer than a simple act of consumption.

/ bonne maman pop-up

The brand offered its customers the chance to relive their childhood for a moment, through a pop-up designed like a home — complete with a kitchen where visitors could take part in preparing the brand’s iconic recipes and taste its products fresh out of the oven, filling the room with their delicious aroma.

In doing so, Bonne Maman perfectly embodies everything that makes it such a beloved brand in everyday life: indulgence, simplicity, and sharing.

/ EATALY

Eataly, the Italian marketplace that combines supermarket, dining area, and cooking school, sells authenticity, quality, diversity, and the art of living tied to Italian cuisine.

Food & Beverage lies at the heart of this promise, allowing customers to taste, learn, and purchase the finest Italian products. The design typically blends the feel of a traditional market with modernity, creating a lively and welcoming atmosphere.

To bring its promise to life, Eataly recreates the experience of an Italian open-air market right from the entrance — adorned with wicker baskets and dotted with food stalls interspersed with iconic markers of Italian life and dining moments: the Aperitivo, pasta-making, fresh mozzarella tasting, and pizzas straight from a wood-fired oven — in short, all the ingredients needed to create a warm and convivial ambiance.

/ heineken rooftop revival

The brand started from a paradox: cities were designed to foster connection, yet loneliness increasingly affects younger generations. Heineken responded by investing in the unused rooftops of buildings, transforming them into spaces for music sets, tastings, and design workshops — creating moments of sharing and exchange that are vital for its target audience.

Beyond bringing its “Open Your World” promise to life, the space is also a strong example of how the brand expresses its identity codes: to ensure visibility, it marks each location with a parasol shaped like its iconic red star and a floor painted entirely in green.

/ clarins sweet spot

The brand also invited guests to dive into a playful, multisensory world — featuring “Lip Play” tables, biscuits shaped like Lip Comfort Oil bottles to decorate, “Sweet Spot” macarons, and matcha ice cream with a signature fragrance. It was an experience of exploration, creativity, and celebration of the indulgent side of beauty.

A relevant and expressive way to embody the tone and style Clarins seeks to infuse into its lipstick range.

3/ From point of sale to gathering point: when F&B becomes a generator of viral content

In a world where living an experience becomes more desirable than owning an object, consumers appropriate brand universes to feed their self-narration, the raw material they need to stage themselves on social media.

The brand’s F&B space, when conceived as an extension of its positioning, thus becomes a powerful lever to bring new attractiveness to physical retail points and generate unprecedented organic visibility.

Concretely, brands that master the art of F&B elevate their culinary offering and their décor to the rank of cultural content in its own right. They transform food into an object of desire and sharing — a true medium of visual storytelling. This can translate into clever branding of sweet snacks, staging of a service ritual that echoes a brand value, or the integration of messages with a distinctive tone of voice. Their restaurant becomes a gathering place where visitors — in search of unique and “Instagram-able” moments — spontaneously create content (photos, videos, stories).

This approach capitalises on the power of communities and the virality of culinary content to generate authentic buzz and amplified visibility. F&B thus becomes a powerful catalyst of cultural conversation, turning each customer into an ambassador and each dish into a topic of sharing whose echo goes beyond the walls of the point of sale.

/ glossier pop-up

With this space at the intersection of a tea salon and a hair salon, Glossier fully embraces the concept while subtly embedding its brand identity codes: soft pastel colors and rounded shapes are applied across every touchpoint — from mirrors to chandeliers to flower arrangements — recreating the brand’s warm and caring posture, a space where customers feel comfortable confiding. The snacks are also carefully designed: healthy indulgences in a street-food format, perfect for a quick lunch debrief with friends. All these elements allow customers to incorporate the brand into their daily lives.

/ OMEGA MART x MEOW WOLF

As an art and entertainment company, Omega Mart –Meow Wolf delivers wonder, mystery, and subversion through immersive and narrative experiences. Omega Mart is one of its flagship locations, housing the Datamosh Bar, the perfect extension of its universe.

The F&B space offers an experience that continues to surprise and defy expectations, with drinks featuring unexpected colors and flavors, all within an environment that is itself a work of art.

Beyond hidden details, messages, and interactive elements that guests love to share on social media, the beverages themselves become a topic of cultural conversation: from naming (The Source, Cosmic Cow, Hazard Pay…) to colors and ingredients (edible glitter, blue corn syrup, crystallized flowers, cotton candy clouds…).

/ zara zacaffé

The design of the Zara café in Madrid faithfully mirrors the clean, minimalist, and contemporary aesthetic of Zara Home and Zara fashion collections. With this café, Zara extends the “trendy” and “lifestyle” shopping experience while highlighting its design and style expertise.

Everything in this space is photogenic and shareable. To maximize ROI, the brand has subtly branded the elements that digital influencers are most likely to share — from pastries stamped with the logo to the mug, the essential companion for young generations eager to try every new out-of-home experience.

4/ F&B: an incubator of trends and generator of unprecedented value

In the age of constant innovation, brands must not only anticipate the desires of tomorrow, but also create value beyond their traditional offering to maintain relevance and leadership.

F&B imposes itself as a powerful lever for the creation of new brand assets and a true incubator of trends. It enriches the brand ecosystem by providing valuable insights into consumer expectations in terms of experience, design and values — key data to remain relevant and innovative.

Concretely, the F&B space becomes a privileged observation ground, generating valuable data from online reactions for “social listening”. Comments and shares on new flavours, innovative décor or unexpected culinary experiences are all weak signals on emerging consumer desires. The brand can thus test in real time concepts, products or atmospheres, turning each tasting into a subject of conversation and each space into a barometer of trends. These experiments allow the generation of new assets (signature recipes, F&B packaging, branded dishware, sound ambiences) that enrich the brand’s heritage and directly feed its innovation and growth strategy.

F&B, through its ability to reveal and create these trends, generates unprecedented value. It allows the brand to position itself as a pioneer, refine its innovation strategy and develop strong intangible capital, beyond mere transactions.

/ pop mart pop-up

This company, known for selling designer toys and collectibles, has ventured into F&B — unsurprisingly replicating the elements that made it successful across every touchpoint in its dining space.

Furniture, decorative sculptures, wall illustrations, and food presentation — everything is designed to be transformed into toys or figurines, maximizing the element of surprise.

For Pop Mart, this represents a tremendous opportunity to gauge its audience’s interest in potentially purchasing merchandise derived from its core offerings.

/ lavazza x moschino

Signature drinks such as the Blue Coconut Light Cloud Coffee or the Sea Salt Orange Blossom Latte convey Moschino’s bold energy through taste.

Alongside them, a selection of collectible items extends the collaboration beyond the cup, transforming the simple ritual of coffee into a true style statement.

With “Espresso Your Style”, Lavazza and Moschino deliver far more than a pop-up: it’s a vibrant experience where fashion meets flavor, and every detail celebrates creativity.

An innovative way to explore all of Lavazza’s ingredients, elevating coffee to a lifestyle art form — expressive, inspiring, and decidedly design-oriented.

/ TEAMLAB PLANETS

TeamLab Planets, the immersive digital art museum, extends its futuristic and sensory positioning with its F&B space, Vegan Ramen UZU Tokyo.

This restaurant offers a continuous immersive experience, where guests enjoy their ramen in rooms with walls and tables projecting fluid, ever-changing digital artworks, or even in an artistic moss garden.

The fully vegan menu features dishes like “Vegan Ramen Flower” with colorful vegetables and “Vegan Ice Cream” with innovative flavors.

Through this space, TeamLab shares its artistic and technological DNA with visitors, merging art and technology through the lens of gastronomy, even if just for the duration of a meal.

How to proceed?

Keys to a signature F&B experience that creates value

For achieving these ultimate goals which enhance the brand, certain practices are essential. The F&B space must be conceived as a natural extension of the brand, and not as a mere addition.

Total coherence with the brand’s DNA: Every aspect of the F&B – décor, menu, service, naming, packaging – must be a natural and faithful extension of the brand identity.
Immersive and sensory design: Create an environment that stimulates all senses and immerses the customer in the brand’s universe, thinking about the visual, taste, smell and sound.
Unique and memorable F&B offering: Propose products that are not generic, but are an extension of the brand’s unique value proposition, distinguished by originality, quality, theming or personalisation.
“Instagrammability”: Design spaces and products that are visually unique and photogenic and that naturally prompt customers to take photos and share them on social networks, generating free visibility.
Event-isation: Organise special events, workshops, collaborations with chefs or artists to maintain interest and generate regular buzz.
Theatricalisation and storytelling: Tell a story through F&B, using décor, menu, dish names to create immersive narration.
Personalised experience: Create a feeling of rarity and privilege by offering a highly personalised and distinctive experience. This may translate into unique interactions, privileged access or tailor-made moments, giving a compelling reason to visit the space and live a unique moment one can’t find elsewhere.

Your brand, our expertise:
an exceptional F&B destination.

F&B is no longer a simple ancillary service, but a powerful strategic lever for any brand wishing to build a connection with its customers, test the solidity of its positioning, differentiate itself, engage its community, gain visibility, and identify growth and innovation opportunities.

Adding an F&B experience to your retail point of sale also means feeding the emotion, the storytelling and the innovation of your brand; it has a unique story to tell, values to share and a community to inspire.

With our expertise in design, branding and creation of F&B spaces, we aspire not just to feed the body, but also the soul of your brand. We support you in designing places that reflect your identity, surprise your customers and become unmissable destinations.

Ready to turn your vision into an unforgettable F&B experience?

Contact us to discuss your next project.

Let's talk!

/ The age of boldness: redefining success in a changing world

In a market overwhelmed with messages and offers, differentiation is no longer a strategy. It is the condition for relevance. Attention, now the rarest of currencies, disappears within seconds. Loyalty is eroding, trends are accelerating, and consumers, more demanding than ever, seek authenticity beyond the noise. In this landscape, sameness has become the norm and caution a brake, leaving brands with an existential dilemma: how to exist, stand out, and balance uniqueness, commitment, and cultural relevance?

Following established rules is no longer enough. The brands that thrive today do not imitate, they dare. They set their own standards, define their own rules, and create their own vision of success.

This is a bold alternative to the pursuit of mere visibility: a call for relevance, memorability, and, above all, differentiation through risk-taking.

As Cécile Ayed, President of the CBA and Coley Porter Bell network, explained in an interview with Le Figaro: “Branding is not about following trends, it is about creating them.” This bold perspective underpins our philosophy at CBA. It is made possible through a deep understanding of cultures and audiences, strategic coherence, and local adaptation — without losing sight of the brand’s heritage.

Credit: Le Figaro, Regards des Dirigeants, July 2025

/ The challenge of differentiation: why standing still is the real risk

Today’s landscape is a battlefield for attention and relevance, where brands face several critical obstacles:

Cognitive overload and fragmented attention. The average attention span is eight seconds. Although people spend six hours online, only 20% of content is read (Nielsen Norman Group, 2023). How can interest be captured and sustained in this endless flow?

Volatile audiences and declining loyalty. 75% of consumers tried new brands after the pandemic (McKinsey, 2023). Loyalty is no longer a given; it must be earned every day through renewed, meaningful connection.

Homogenization and loss of distinctiveness. 80% of major brands are losing differentiation (BAV, WPP, 2025). The danger is not failing by daring, but vanishing into the crowd by conforming.

Complexity of touchpoints. Marketers juggle an average of fourteen channels to reach audiences (Hubspot, 2024). Consistency and impact are essential to building a lasting presence.

In this environment, playing it safe is tempting. Yet the numbers are clear: only 13% of companies consider themselves ready to take creative risks (Lions, 2025). Meanwhile, bold brands grow 33% faster (Deloitte, 2025). The real risk is no longer boldness, but inertia.

A striking example is Lux (Unilever), the feminine hygiene brand, which embraced women’s empowerment; but adapted its message to each market. In Saudi Arabia, where women are more educated than men but only 16% are employed, Lux supported local women (doctors, photographers, and more) by improving their online visibility through Google search.

Instead of launching a generic feminist campaign, Lux created a subtle yet powerful gesture of empowerment, one that respected cultural codes while offering lasting impact.

This measured approach embodies a new kind of engagement: rooted in local realities, faithful to brand values, and expressed through concrete action.

Discover our work for Lux

To be relevant and memorable is the central challenge.

It begins with a step too often overlooked: understanding the starting point, the audience, and the cultural context. This is the principle of grounding that CBA stands for.

/ The agency: architect of boldness and catalyst for distinctiveness

In this shifting context, the role of the agency evolves.

It is no longer a service provider but a true partner, an architect of boldness, a catalyst for distinctiveness. Its mission is to help brands carve their own path, break free from convention, and unlock their unique potential.

We bring in experts from the human sciences, anthropologists, ethnologists; who, supported by AI, help us gain a qualitative and precise understanding of consumers in every market. This enables us to define sharp insights and test creative concepts quickly, accelerating the design process.

We are strategic in our creativity, and creative in our strategy.

Cécile Ayed, CEO Group CBA

At CBA, our philosophy rests on three core principles:

Beyond the big idea: cultivating brand intrapreneurship. A brilliant idea alone is not enough. Brands must gain the confidence to dare, to embody their vision internally, and to turn intention into real impact. We support intrapreneurs within organizations, helping them identify opportunities, navigate uncertainty, and make boldness part of the culture rather than the exception.

Human-centered creative strategy: transcending cultures for resonance both global and local. Our approach goes beyond market analysis. We dive into cultures and communities to uncover deep values, aspirations, and frustrations. The goal is not conformity, but understanding that allows transcendence. As Anna Kohl (Global Executive Strategy Director at Landor) puts it, today’s consumers seek “participatory authenticity.” Brands must anchor themselves in culture and in people’s daily lives at every touchpoint, creating instant emotional connections — a sensory shortcut to meaning.

Artificial intelligence as an amplifier of intuition, not a directive. We work with specialists in the human sciences — anthropologists and ethnologists — who, with the help of AI, give us refined insights into consumer behavior in every market. This enables precise understanding, rapid testing of creative concepts, and accelerated creation processes. For us, AI is not an end in itself but a powerful ally. Tools such as Personia use AI to sharpen insights, unleash creativity, and personalize experiences at scale. At CBA, AI enhances human intuition rather than replacing it. It allows us to explore new paths, take informed risks, and achieve meaningful differentiation.

As Cécile Ayed sums it up:

“Our role is to help brands find their own voice, not to imitate someone else’s.”

By building confidence and encouraging informed risk-taking, aligned with audiences, we help brands break free from limitations and define their own standards of success.

People expect brands to act.
First, you need legitimacy to take on a cause.
Second, you must have the means to act consistently over time.

/ The future belongs to brands that dare

In a world in constant motion, reinvention is the key to longevity.

The brands that succeed do not follow, they inspire and resonate. They dare to break conventions, shape their own rules of the game, and express a unique, authentic identity.

At CBA, we are proud to act as catalysts of this transformation. We invite brands to trust themselves, embrace boldness, and use innovation as a lever for impact. We remain attuned to cultures and communities not to be led by them, but to transcend them. With this foundation, every act of communication can become a defining moment — meaningful, consistent, and aligned with both brand identity and future ambition.

With boldness and cultural insight, the era of brand differentiation can truly begin.

The future belongs to brands that dare.

/ Translating without betraying: the art of cultural adaptation

Taking a stand is one thing. Preserving it internationally without losing identity is another. The answer lies in a subtle balance: respecting the brand’s roots while adapting to local codes.

Each market has its own symbols, habits, and expectations. Integrating them doesn’t dilute the brand—it ensures credibility. This is about coherence with the brand’s DNA, not just image.

Consider Bel in Japan: selling cheese portions as in France wasn’t viable. Instead, the product was reinvented as a healthy, bite-sized “sweet cheese” snack—evoking French macarons while fitting Japanese tastes. The result: a product that feels new, yet unmistakably Bel.

This cultural translation is also a narrative one: ensuring the brand remains consistent and credible, even far from its origins.

Luxury brands face several design challenges that require them to balance their commitment to craftsmanship, aesthetics, and innovation with changing consumer preferences and market trends. One of the most significant challenges is maintaining exclusivity and uniqueness while also reaching broader audiences. To address this obstacle, luxury brands must find ways to create products that are exclusive and accessible, such as developing limited edition products or offering personalized customization options.

Another challenge is staying at the forefront of design and innovation while maintaining the brand heritage. Luxury brands must be mindful of the fact that their products often carry a rich history and cultural significance, which must be reflected in the design process. At the same time, they must also embrace emerging technologies and design practices to stay relevant and competitive.

Luxury brands face several design challenges that require them to balance their commitment to craftsmanship, aesthetics, and innovation with changing consumer preferences and market trends. One of the most significant challenges is maintaining exclusivity and uniqueness while also reaching broader audiences. To address this obstacle, luxury brands must find ways to create products that are both exclusive and accessible, such as developing limited edition products or offering personalized customization options.

/ Fendi combines digital and physical.

In a long-term partnership with the luxury group LVMH and video game/software developer Epic Games, Fendi, part of the LVMH group, creates a unique customer experience by introducing 3D technology into its boutiques for bespoke creations. Leveraging Epic Games‘ Unreal Engine 5 3D design solution, select boutiques will offer their clientele hyper-realistic previews of customized products on screens. This new service aims at ultra-personalization, optimizing consumer engagement and satisfaction by involving them directly in the creation process. This experience not only enhances customer relationships but also provides a privileged and memorable experience.

Credits: Fendi

In a long-term partnership with the luxury group LVMH and video game/software developer Epic Games, Fendi, part of the LVMH group, creates a unique customer experience by introducing 3D technology into its boutiques for bespoke creations. Leveraging Epic Games‘ Unreal Engine 5 3D design solution, select boutiques will offer their clientele hyper-realistic previews of customized products on screens. This new service aims at ultra-personalization, optimizing consumer engagement and satisfaction by involving them directly in the creation process. This experience not only enhances customer relationships but also provides a privileged and memorable experience.

Credits: Fendi

In a long-term partnership with the luxury group LVMH and video game/software developer Epic Games, Fendi, part of the LVMH group, creates a unique customer experience by introducing 3D technology into its boutiques for bespoke creations. Leveraging Epic Games‘ Unreal Engine 5 3D design solution, select boutiques will offer their clientele hyper-realistic previews of customized products on screens. This new service aims at ultra-personalization, optimizing consumer engagement and satisfaction by involving them directly in the creation process. This experience not only enhances customer relationships but also provides a privileged and memorable experience.

Credits: Fendi

/ Bring the user experience to life through augmented reality.

Augmented Reality (AR), with a market value expected to reach $88.4 billion by 2026, is a technology that allows designers to innovate by creating 3D models. This technology has the potential to revolutionize the shopping experience by offering personalized and engaging interactions, such as virtual product try-ons before making a purchase.

When fully utilized, retailers can harness AR to achieve business objectives. According to a Deloitte report, 71% of shoppers would likely shop more frequently when using AR-powered apps. Moreover, 40% of consumers are willing to pay more if they’re able to test a product in AR.

When fully utilized, retailers can harness AR to achieve business objectives. According to a Deloitte report, 71% of shoppers would likely shop more frequently when using AR-powered apps. Moreover, 40% of consumers are willing to pay more if they’re able to test a product in AR.

Cartier‘s collaboration with Snapchat exemplifies how a luxury brand can benefit from augmented reality technology to elevate customer engagement. Through this partnership, Cartier enabled the public to virtually try on their Trinity rings. The lens uses machine learning to accurately predict the 3D shape of each user’s hand, ensuring a personalized experience. Previously, the French luxury house had collaborated with Snapchat to create a similar experience around the Tank Française watch. These initiatives not only enhance the customer experience but also reinforce Cartier’s brand identity as a pioneer in luxury and innovation.

Credits: SnapInc

Cartier‘s collaboration with Snapchat exemplifies how a luxury brand can benefit from augmented reality technology to elevate customer engagement. Through this partnership, Cartier enabled the public to virtually try on their Trinity rings. The lens uses machine learning to accurately predict the 3D shape of each user’s hand, ensuring a personalized experience. Previously, the French luxury house had collaborated with Snapchat to create a similar experience around the Tank Française watch.

These initiatives not only enhance the customer experience but also reinforce Cartier’s brand identity as a pioneer in luxury and innovation.

Cartier’s collaboration with Snapchat exemplifies how a luxury brand can benefit from augmented reality technology to elevate customer engagement. Through this partnership, Cartier enabled the public to virtually try on their Trinity rings. The lens uses machine learning to accurately predict the 3D shape of each user’s hand, ensuring a personalized experience. Previously, the French luxury house had collaborated with Snapchat to create a similar experience around the Tank Française watch. These initiatives not only enhance the customer experience but also reinforce Cartier’s brand identity as a pioneer in luxury and innovation.

Credits: SnapInc

/ The Metaverse, a territory for brands to conquer?

The metaverse, a rapidly growing virtual world, offers an immersive experience where individuals interact with people, products, and places through avatars. This digital realm includes virtual marketplaces where users can buy and sell goods, services, and experiences, providing brands with a unique platform to express their identities and craft differentiated experiences. Analysts project that the market for virtual luxury goods could soar to USD 50 billion by 2030, highlighting the vast potential of this virtual world.

For brands, the metaverse represents a new frontier to cultivate long-term customer relationships rather than focusing on short-term gains. Luxury brands can leverage this virtual world to offer experiences that transcend physical limitations, enhancing consumer loyalty and driving new revenue streams.

The metaverse, a rapidly growing virtual world, offers an immersive experience where individuals interact with people, products, and places through avatars. This digital realm includes virtual marketplaces where users can buy and sell goods, services, and experiences, providing brands a unique platform to express their identity and craft differentiated experiences. Analysts project that the market for virtual luxury goods could soar to USD 50 billion by 2030, highlighting the vast potential of this virtual world.

For brands, the metaverse represents a new frontier to cultivate long-term customer relationships rather than focusing on short-term gains. Luxury brands can leverage this virtual world to offer experiences that transcend physical limitations, enhancing consumer loyalty and driving new revenue streams.

The use of this tool by prestigious shopping centers like Printemps and iconic luxury brands such as Tiffany & Co., Gucci and Givenchy, illustrates its potential. For instance, Givenchy has embraced the metaverse by partnering with Roblox to create an interactive virtual world. This space features a dance floor, ice rink, and virtual makeup area where visitors can engage in challenges and win branded products. These brands utilize the metaverse to enhance customer experiences and engage their audiences in innovative ways, adapting to new buying patterns and showcasing the vast opportunities for growth and connection in this dynamic digital landscape.

Credits: Givenchy Beauty IG Account

These brands utilize the metaverse to enhance customer experiences and engage their audiences in innovative ways, adapting to new buying patterns and showcasing the vast opportunities for growth and connection in this dynamic digital landscape.

Credits: Givenchy Beauty IG Account

The use of this tool by prestigious shopping centers like Printemps and iconic luxury brands such as Tiffany & Co., Gucci and Givenchy, illustrates its potential. For instance, Givenchy has embraced the metaverse by partnering with Roblox to create an interactive virtual world. This space features a dance floor, ice rink, and virtual makeup area where visitors can engage in challenges and win branded products.

Credits: Givenchy Beauty IG Account

/ Gaming universe

The metaverse is neither the only nor the most popular tool for adopting the codes of the digital landscape. Gaming has become more than just a trend; it is now an integral part of consumer habits.

Today, gaming is the leading cultural industry. It is as much a part of our cultural references and heritage as music, comics, cinema, and so on.

– Marie Bories, Director of Research and Marketing, Webedia Group

The central place of gaming in daily life makes it essential for luxury brands to quickly integrate their codes to reach a young audience, which is expected to make 25 to 30% of luxury purchases by 2030.

A study conducted by Dynata for Webedia among a sample of 1,005 respondents aged 18 and over found that 66% of 18-34 year olds believe that integrating the gaming universe is a good idea for brands outside this universe. They see it as beneficial for making a product known (40%), recruiting new clients and/or rejuvenating a consumer base (35%), increasing sales (28%), and enhancing a product’s attractiveness (24%).

The expanding role of the gaming universe as a powerful medium is exemplified by the initiatives of numerous luxury brands such as Cartier, Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, and many more. For instance, Cartier introduced “The Fabulous Cartier Journey,” an interactive video game as part of its “The Fabulous Cartier House” end-of-year campaign, aimed at enhancing storytelling and engagement with its audience. On the other hand, Dolce & Gabbana collaborated with video game specialist Razer to create a collection of clothing and equipment dedicated to gaming, while Tiffany partnered with Pokémon to launch an exclusive collection of necklaces. These examples showcase the various ways in which luxury brands are tapping into the gaming universe to connect with younger audiences and adapt to current consumer habits.

The metaverse is neither the only nor the most popular tool for adopting the codes of the digital landscape. Gaming has become more than just a trend; it is now an integral part of consumer habits.

Today, gaming is the leading cultural industry. It is as much a part of our cultural references and heritage as music, comics, cinema, and so on

– Marie Bories, Director of Research and Marketing, Webedia Group

The expanding role of the gaming universe as a powerful medium is exemplified by the initiatives of numerous luxury brands such as Cartier, Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, and many more. For instance, Cartier introduced “The Fabulous Cartier Journey“, an interactive video game as part of its “The Fabulous Cartier House” end-of-year campaign, aimed at enhancing storytelling and engagement with its audience. On the other hand, Dolce & Gabbana collaborated with video game specialist Razer to create a collection of clothing and equipment dedicated to gaming, while Tiffany partnered with Pokémon to launch an exclusive collection of necklaces. These examples showcase the various ways in which luxury brands are tapping into the gaming universe to connect with younger audiences and adapt to current consumer habits.

Credits: Razer

Credits: The Fabulous Cartier Journey

Credits: Razer and The Fabulous Cartier Journey

The new opportunities of design present new avenues for luxury brands to innovate and differentiate themselves in the market while maintaining their commitment to exclusivity, craftsmanship, and tradition. By leveraging these new technologies and practices, luxury brands can create personalized and immersive experiences that resonate with consumers and establish strong brand identities that stand the test of time.

The new opportunities of design present new avenues for luxury brands to innovate and differentiate themselves in the market while maintaining their commitment to exclusivity, craftsmanship, and tradition. By leveraging these new technologies and practices, luxury brands can create personalized and immersive experiences that resonate with consumers and establish a strong brand identity that stands the test of time.

Do you have a challenge, a project, something else, for which you need support?

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To discover more trends, download right now our 2024 Useful Design Trends report.

Download your report!

To discover more trends, download right now our 2024 Useful Design Trends report.

Download your report!

CBA commits to women’s rights month.

With the constant questioning of women’s rights around the world and still today, we are well aware that some of the rights are still sensitive and unstable. The group CBA means to fight against gender discrimination and sexism and do believe that design is an extraordinary tool to shape the world into a better place, both for women and men.

Thus, CBA launched a campaign in March highlighting the women and men who fight gender inequality on a daily basis and the role of design in the inclusion of women.

We have sought to analyse the theme of women’s rights from all angles, in order to enlighten and raise public awareness.

/ INTERVIEWING CBA'S PEOPLE!

CBA Paris launched an interview campaign highlighting employees and their experiences as women or men in the world of work and their perceptions of gender inequality. Here are a few questions they answered:

When did you feel held back by your status as a woman in your professional life?
Do you see a difference between the working wold of yesterday and today?
What is the most effective way to achieve equality?
A cultural reference that marked you regarding women?

Margaux Lhermitte, Head of Retail & Architecture

Anthony Charton, Art Director

Léa Richard, Project Manager Assistant

Laurence Bethines, Brand Strategist

Nathalie Aupetit, Senior Artistic Director

You can discover all these interviews on our Instagram account

/ BEING A WOMAN IN THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD

Wow! A woman part of the board!

Barbara Duavy, Managing Partners & Head of Culture CBA B+G, looks back on her experience as a woman in the professional world and especially as a board member. A touching, transparent and necessary testimony still today!

An interesting look at her childhood, her schooling and the objectives of CBA B+G in terms of people, culture, diversity and ESG, in the long run.

Thank you Barbara for your testimony!

Read the article

/ INCLUSIVE DESIGN, A SOLUTION?

In this special month, we decided to focus on the theme of inclusive design. More and more brands adopt inclusive design to celebrate accessibility! In order to respond to issues that are still major today as fight against gender discrimination and sexism, celebrate a more intuitive and accessible design and adopt equity thanks to inclusives identities.

Read the article

/ INCLUSIVE DESIGN, A SOLUTION?

Read the article

/ INCLUSIVE DESIGN, A SOLUTION?

Read the article

Carmen Beer, content manager at CBA B+G, highlights the ‘All Bodies are Normal’ trend from our recent Design Trends Report, which has everything to do with empowered women.

Embracing and celebrating the natural shapes and cycles of all bodies is the core of many new brands, designing products & services that speak directly to a target group previously forgotten.

Subjects as the well-being, mental health and acceptation are much more taking into account by brands. Authenticity and transparency is key!

/ IMPACT CREATIVITY LED BY WOMEN

Sandra Garcia, our Managing Director at CBA Spain, took part at the BCREATIVE session of the Barcelona Woman Acceleration Week with the key theme « Impact creativity led by women ».

A keynote about the power of design applied to business strategies to achieve responsible and sustainable growth.

A scene shared with Sisón Pujol, founder and CEO at Nonon Design agency, Ana Fornt, CEO at Group Efebé and Arantxa Bernadí, CEO at Bernadí.

Discover the keynote

/ IMPACT CREATIVITY LED BY WOMEN

Sandra Garcia, our Managing Director at CBA Spain, took part at the BCREATIVE session of the Barcelona Woman Acceleration Week with the key theme « Impact creativity led by women ».

A keynote about the power of design applied to business strategies to achieve responsible and sustainable growth.

A scene shared with Sisón Pujol, founder and CEO at Nonon Design agency, Ana Fornt, CEO at Group Efebé and Arantxa Bernadí, CEO at Bernadí.

Discover the keynote

/ IMPACT CREATIVITY LED BY WOMEN

Sandra Garcia, our Managing Director at CBA Spain, took part at the BCREATIVE session of the Barcelona Woman Acceleration Week with the key theme « Impact creativity led by women ».

A keynote about the power of design applied to business strategies to achieve responsible and sustainable growth.

A scene shared with Sisón Pujol, founder and CEO at Nonon Design agency, Ana Fornt, CEO at Group Efebé and Arantxa Bernadí, CEO at Bernadí.

Discover the keynote

This year we hold another edition of our

trends curation project!

Download your report

CBA’s global team of designers, strategists and content experts have selected from out there what they considered top-notch in terms of design, branding and consumer trends, focusing on positive impact.

From this great curation we highlighted 15 trends that, in this year, will continue to encourage brands – large and small, from all categories – to innovate in order to become more useful to society.

Every new experience, product, packaging or service designed is

an opportunity to be useful.

Trends are segmented into 5 pillars -pillars from the utility map of our Critical Imprint methodology:

Download your report

There is no Planet B, and we ought to take care of the one we live in.

Designing environmentally friendly packaging is a must: we need to consider the use of different packaging materials and formats.

Life-cycle thinking & minimalism are the new mindset.

Brands are increasingly celebrating

diversity, empowerment of minorities & inclusivity.

We're seeing a rise of brands that speak to the V-lifestyle,

a boom of digital healthcare solutions catered to communities, and a playful integration between beauty and food brands.

The pandemic and the ongoing process of globalization
have many of us questioning what is it that we want for
our future as a society

... as well as intensifying
habit changes
& cultural
paradigm shifts.

Brands are experimenting with new ways to reach their consumers,

by making their offer more economically affordable, or expanding their presence in the metaverse and on social media.

CBA Design Worldwide

Or select a location to continue to your local agency

Anxiety, sleep, menstruation: behind every health ailment, there is a solitude. Brands that dare to understand this feeling, and create spaces for recognition to lift taboos, are doing more than marketing. They are creating belonging. And that creates growth.

Understand Before you Create.

Audacity in Health: Uniting

Triptomax

Dormi

Cold brands isolate. Human brands unite.

Cold brands isolate. Human brands unite.

Credit : Cécile Ayed, CEO of the CBA network, featured in Forbes

As AI becomes more prevalent, CBA emphasizes the primacy of human creativity.

To succeed, a brand has to dare. Playing it safe is now the biggest risk of all.

In a constantly changing world, the ability to reinvent oneself is essential for long-term success.

The future belongs to the brands that dare.

Prepare to dive in: discover our selection of the most successful F&B spaces and our analysis to assess together the value of such an approach.

Embodying a style, claiming a cultural reference, or making one’s values and approach to service tangible are all obvious ways to enhance brand equity.

Through this concrete and multi-sensory demonstration, the brand succeeds in materialising its identity and making its message resonate with an unmatched force.

The brand’s F&B space, when conceived as an extension of its positioning, thus becomes a powerful lever to bring new attractiveness to physical retail points and generate unprecedented organic visibility.

F&B imposes itself as a powerful lever for the creation of new brand assets and a true incubator of trends. It enriches the brand ecosystem by providing valuable insights into consumer expectations in terms of experience, design and values — key data to remain relevant and innovative.

How to proceed?

Keys to a signature F&B experience that creates value

Your brand, our expertise: an exceptional F&B destination.

Adding an F&B experience to your retail point of sale also means feeding the emotion, the storytelling and the innovation of your brand; it has a unique story to tell, values to share and a community to inspire.

Ready to turn your vision into an unforgettable F&B experience?

Contact us to discuss your next project.

Following established rules is no longer enough. The brands that thrive today do not imitate, they dare. They set their own standards, define their own rules, and create their own vision of success.

Credit: Le Figaro, Regards des Dirigeants, July 2025

To be relevant and memorable is the central challenge.

In this shifting context, the role of the agency evolves.

We are strategic in our creativity, and creative in our strategy.

“Our role is to help brands find their own voice, not to imitate someone else’s.”

In a world in constant motion, reinvention is the key to longevity.

Taking a stand is one thing. Preserving it internationally without losing identity is another. The answer lies in a subtle balance: respecting the brand’s roots while adapting to local codes.

Do you have a challenge, a project, something else, for which you need support?

CBA commits to women’s rights month.

Wow! A woman part of the board!

Wow! A woman part of the board!

Wow! A woman part of the board!

This year we hold another edition of our

Every new experience, product, packaging or service designed is

Life-cycle thinking & minimalism are the new mindset.

diversity, empowerment of minorities & inclusivity.

We're seeing a rise of brands that speak to the V-lifestyle,

... as well as intensifying habit changes & cultural paradigm shifts.

Brands are experimenting with new ways to reach their consumers,

Interested in learning more about opportunities for your brand?

In case you missed our 2022 Design Trends Report ...

Subscribe to our newsletter.

Let's work

Together.

Cold brands isolate.
Human brands unite.

Cold brands isolate.
Human brands unite.

Your brand, our expertise:
an exceptional F&B destination.

... as well as intensifying
habit changes
& cultural
paradigm shifts.