Helping starts with listening
A financial brand listens to disadvantaged teens
A financial brand listens to disadvantaged teens
A financial brand listens to disadvantaged teens
“It‘s amazing what teens can do when someone has their back.”
At the height of the pandemic and civil protest, the non-profit public service arm of a large investment company was urgently moving to re-launch and re-brand its flagship financial literacy program for disadvantaged teens. After an early attempt fell flat, we jumped in, and helped reframe the effort: Instead of trying to one-up competitors for PR, we urged the company to look to its main purpose of helping teens seriously.
“It‘s amazing what teens can do when someone has their back.”
At the height of the pandemic and civil protest, the non-profit public service arm of a large investment company was urgently moving to re-launch and re-brand its flagship financial literacy program for disadvantaged teens. After an early attempt fell flat, we jumped in, and helped reframe the effort: Instead of trying to one-up competitors for PR, we urged the company to look to its main purpose of helping teens seriously.
“It‘s amazing what teens can do when someone has their back.”
At the height of the pandemic and civil protest, the non-profit public service arm of a large investment company was urgently moving to re-launch and re-brand its flagship financial literacy program for disadvantaged teens. After an early attempt fell flat, we jumped in, and helped reframe the effort: Instead of trying to one-up competitors for PR, we urged the company to look to its main purpose of helping teens seriously.
A financial services non-profit foundation
Research
Co-design
Brand strategy
Brand identity
Finanincial services, Public good, Non-profit, Education
We partnered with a youth oriented non-profit to co-design the program in collaboration with disadvantaged teens. We conducted interviews with teens across the county, bringing together teens, the financial company’s foundation, and its internal agency. We facilitated candid group design reviews that included meaningful conversations like:
• How do these teens view money?
• Who do they respect?
• Where do they look to answer questions about money?
Set up for success
We used teen input in crafting our logo, imagery, and communications. The rebrand successfully launched and our findings about attitudes, struggles, media habits, and more continues to inform the program and its materials. In 2023 the firm was recognized by non-profit Points of Light as “One of the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States.”
