Drive data-rich stories on how Vanguard’s asset planning with every-day contextual performance.
Our client’s ask:
Create simple storylines in the value of financial planning using contextual insights with less-savvy financial investors.
Reimagine ‘How America Saves’ web experience and incorporate the Comparison Tool and Consultant Hub
The Challenge
Various business unit stakeholders were struggling in alignment on direction during kick-off with corporate divisional financial ownership and sign-off. Significant rounds of research and strategy had to be provided from detailed analysis to C-Suite summary recommendations. Vanity sites were non-unified in messaging and heavily product and service segmented while research reflected goal orientated patterns in browsing and searching.
Transformational Goals
With a goal to appeal to new and younger audiences, Vanguard realized they needed to resonate their institutional values with millennials to increase 401K allocations. They approached us to improve this messaging value among intermediaries.
Work included:
Research interviews with intermediaries
Competitive market audit and site performance
Brand audit and messaging
Persona development
Creative ideation and finalization
Delivery and testing
Success Metrics: Create emotional connections in engaging, meaningful, and sought-after experiences.
The Approach.
Stakeholder Interviews
Assess KPIs of Marketing Site Metrics
Conduct Persona Research
Competitive Audits
Site Heuristics
Creative exploration of four concepts
Conduct Quantitative Research from creative
Update from feedback with stakeholder alignment
Finalize creative architecture
Finalize content and legal compliance
Creative Design Component and Content finalization
Visual Design Delivery to Development
Development Delivery and analytics monitoring
Institutional Values at Vanguard
Connecting the strengths of their Portfolio with the financial strategies, tied to emotional drivers that investors face in their future.
Site Heuristics at Project Kickoff
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Speed: B-
SPEED: The speed of both Web and Mobile was measured using online tools. The desktop speed result is good, but the mobile result is considered poor. Resolved by optimizing load time for mobile to less than 2.5 seconds.
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Accessibility B+
ACCESSIBILITY: Accessibility was measured using a web accessibility test that revealed 3 known problems, but with the potential of 6 more, this is considered somewhat problematic and would require further investigation.
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Feel: C-
FEEL: The website, as our internal survey suggests feels dated, but also frustrations in usability are emotions that may discourage audience engagement.
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Design: D
DESIGN: We used advanced website and imaging analysis tools that established that the overall visual experience is flat in most instances. This fails to engage users and creates a negative impact on the user experience.
What’s at stake.
Total revenues increased with fluctuations between 2006 and 2021. The total revenues of the U.S. insurance and financial services company amounted to approximately 70.9 billion U.S. dollars in 2021.
Billions Managed
Archetypes with Multiple Persona Targets
Illuminate the Opportunity: Convert market complexities into insights that inform action
Activate with Empathy: Personalize and humanize the content to a diverse set of needs and industries
Accessible and Shareable: Snackable content that can be deployed across channels
Creative brand with dynamic UX exploration
Concept 1
Concept 2
Concept 4
What was delivered
Delivered:
Inform and activate plan sponsors with insightful, actionable and shareable information that demonstrates Vanguard’s expertise as the preferred advisory.
KPIs:
Website Traffic: Organic Search, Paid Search, New Visitors vs. Returning
Engagement: Average Time on Site, Pages Viewed
Conversions: Website Forms Completed, Phone Number Clicks, Content Offer Downloads, Email Clicks
Content: Landing Page Visits, Exit Pages, Pages Viewed
Channel Attribution: Visits from Social Sources, Visits from Partner Sites, Visits from Paid Directories, Visits from Review Sites
Results, Delivered
We developed a brand strategy to effectively reach potential investors by supporting a message of “simplicity, low costs, and client focus.”
The success of this project awarded our agency (Razorfish) as their 2021 New Media Agency.
A year later Plan Enrollments, Employer Contribution Matches, and Email Click Rates were performing above traditional or industry averages.