Agency: i-Crossing / Hearst Media
Agency: i-Crossing / Hearst Media
Toyota Financial Savings Bank needed a cohesive digital system that could scale across both the Toyota and Lexus brands while reflecting each identity's unique tone and audience. The challenge was to create a flexible yet consistent UX foundation—modern enough to serve today’s mobile-first users, but deeply rooted in the precision and trust the Toyota name represents.
As UX and Creative Director, I led the design system initiative for ToyotaBank.com at iCrossing. I collaborated with UX, brand, and development teams to deliver a unified design framework that could adapt seamlessly across multiple financial products and customer segments. I also provided art direction across photography, typography, and content tone—ensuring harmony across every screen.
Drawing inspiration from tatami (畳)—the modular grid system used in traditional Japanese interiors—we developed a structured, scalable layout system that balanced consistency with flexibility. This approach allowed us to deliver clean, confident layouts that respected both Toyota and Lexus’ brand voice, while adapting easily to new products and services.
The design system supported both brands while preserving their distinct identities. Toyota’s digital touchpoints leaned toward utilitarian clarity and accessibility; Lexus’s interfaces emphasised elegance, space, and premium cues. I worked with stakeholders to establish core visual patterns, breakpoints, and interaction models that scaled fluidly across both.
I curated brand-appropriate photography, selected type systems that balanced clarity with sophistication, and defined content tone guidelines for both direct and aspirational messaging. Each visual and verbal element was tailored to reflect the customer mindset—whether applying for financing or reviewing payment terms.
Every component was tested for responsiveness and accessibility. We ensured WCAG compliance, optimised for performance across mobile and desktop, and built design tokens into the system that allowed for future theming, expansion, and localisation.
