Some news is just too good to keep to ourselves: our friends at Mercantile Bank recently took home top honors at the 2025 ABA Brand Slam Awards for their website redesign. And since we had the honor of building that site with them, we’re taking a moment to celebrate right alongside them.
This isn’t just a huge win for Mercantile Bank. It’s a big moment for our team at MINDSCAPE, too — proof that great partnerships, smart strategy, and thoughtful design can turn into something award-winning and, more importantly, have a real impact on our client’s success.
What’s the ABA Brand Slam Award All About?
Every year, the American Bankers Association (ABA) shines a spotlight on the best marketing work across the banking industry through its Brand Slam Awards. These aren’t participation trophies — they’re highly competitive honors, judged by marketing peers from across the country. Categories range from video to social media to websites, and the winners represent the very best in strategy and execution.
This year, Mercantile’s fresh new site caught the judges’ eyes in a big way. The award validates what we all felt throughout the project: this redesign wasn’t just a facelift, it was a transformation.
(If you’d like to see the official announcement, you can check out the ABA press release.)
The Challenge: A Site That Needed More Than a Fresh Coat of Paint
When Mercantile first came to us, they weren’t just looking for a prettier homepage. They were looking for a smarter, more unified digital presence.
Their goals were clear:
- Consolidate their tech stack. Mercantile was already using HubSpot for marketing. It only made sense to bring the new website onto HubSpot too.
- Elevate user experience. The old site wasn’t serving visitors as well as it could. Navigation was tricky, content was buried, and the design didn’t reflect the forward-thinking bank Mercantile had become.
- Strengthen their brand online. They wanted a modern, accessible website that told their story and built trust at every click.
In other words, this wasn’t just a design project. It was about creating a digital experience that matched Mercantile’s values and vision for the future.
Why Mercantile Chose MINDSCAPE
We’re proud to say Mercantile didn’t have to look far to find the right partner. Their main criteria were clear:
- A local vendor
- A HubSpot Platinum Partner
- A team whose culture vibed with their own, and who could execute on their vision
Mercantile wanted more than a vendor. They wanted a partner who understood both the technology and the human side of digital experiences. That’s where we came in.
The Solution: Design Meets Strategy
So, what did we do?
- Moved the site onto HubSpot. By aligning the website with Mercantile’s existing marketing tools, we gave their team one connected ecosystem. That meant simpler workflows, stronger reporting, and better integration across the board.
- Redesigned for users first. From rethinking navigation to simplifying content, our UX team made sure visitors could find what they needed quickly and easily.
- Elevated the brand. The new design communicates Mercantile’s values — approachable, trustworthy, modern — through every detail, from typography to imagery to color.
The end result? A site that’s easier for Mercantile to manage, more enjoyable for customers to use, and powerful enough to win over national award judges.
The Results: An Award-Winning Redesign
When the ABA announced Mercantile as a 2025 Brand Slam Award winner, it confirmed what we already knew: this site is something special.
For Mercantile, the win is recognition of their commitment to innovation and customer-first banking. For us, it’s proof that design and strategy done right can move the needle in measurable ways — and most importantly, create a website that supports their goals, delights their users, and has an impact on their success.
And while awards are nice (ok, really nice), the real victory is how this site is performing day-to-day. Customers now have a smoother online experience. Mercantile’s marketing team has the tools and integrations they need. And the bank’s brand is stronger than ever.
Celebrating the Partnership
At MINDSCAPE, we talk a lot about partnerships. This project is the perfect example of what happens when a client brings their goals, vision, and trust — and we bring our creativity, strategy, and technical expertise.
Together, we built something award-winning and meaningful for their business. And we couldn’t be happier for Mercantile’s big moment in the spotlight.
See the Award-Winning Site for Yourself
Want to see what all the buzz is about? Head over to Mercantile Bank’s website and check out the winning design.
If you’re thinking about your own redesign, whether it’s consolidating platforms, improving user experience, or refreshing your brand online — we’d love to help. Start by exploring our web design services, our expertise as a HubSpot Platinum Partner, and our user experience solutions.
Your next website could be the one making headlines.
