—— WEALTHSIMPLE
Elevating the wealth-building experience.
CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT, SCRIPTWRITING, SOCIAL ACTIVATION
Wealthsimple. Even the name promises easy investing, and for good reason. Since 2014, they’ve worked hard to make finance fun and accessible—a breath of fresh air in a stuffy industry. As the brand evolved, however, this reputation for simplicity started to overshadow the platform’s growing sophistication. Behind the scenes, Wealthsimple was adding a new layer of priority service, financial benefits—and most notably—personalized rewards from Uber, Strava, Headspace, The Globe and Mail, DINR, and more. To spread the word, they needed a campaign that would educate the audience about their enhanced benefits without sacrificing their reputation for simplicity and accessibility.
Getting to know the modern investor.
Interviews with stakeholders and in-depth research revealed a lot about Wealthsimple’s audience and the financial industry at large. Despite above-average income and wealth, modern investors don’t feel rich. For this reason, having a sense of progress, even celebrating small steps, is a powerful motivator. Traditional banking practices, with their emphasis on a "set-it-and-forget-it" approach, fail to meet their evolving needs.
These investors seek a more personalized and engaging financial experience that aligns with their lifestyle and values, not just their finances. They're looking for a platform that celebrates their progress and helps them achieve a balanced lifestyle that combines financial security with personal fulfillment.
Celebrating the journey, not just the destination.
To introduce Wealthsimple’s new offerings, we flipped the script on the wealth-building waiting game. Our campaign aimed to transform the investment journey into a celebration of personal growth and accomplishment, emphasizing the rewards and experiences investors gain along the way. Our key message? Simple. “Building wealth takes time. Live a little while you wait.”
To tell this story visually, we employed a color palette with deep tones complemented by rich textures paired with a playful visual device, which we dubbed the "fourth-wall wink," featuring direct eye contact and striking poses that amplified the self-aware humor of the campaign narrative. For supporting elements, we used exaggerated scale to emphasize the joy of life's little pleasures, highlighting how seemingly small moments and rewards can play a surprisingly big role in making the journey towards financial goals truly delightful.
All the elements came together to form a cohesive and adaptable campaign, designed to effectively reach our target audience across various channels and formats. From hard-working digital assets to high-profile ads in airport lounges, the campaign delivered a consistent message and an engaging visual experience.
Photogrpahy with a wink
Our goal was to evoke a sense of excitement and anticipation while maintaining a visually stunning, yet unconventional aesthetic. To achieve this, we employed a color palette with deep tones complemented by rich textures and natural lighting. We also incorporated a playful visual device, which we dubbed the "fourth-wall wink," featuring direct eye contact and striking poses that amplified the self-aware humor of the campaign narrative.
For supporting elements, we used an exaggerated scale to emphasize the joy of life's little pleasures, highlighting how seemingly small moments and rewards can play a surprisingly big role in making the journey toward financial goals truly delightful.
Made possible by the talented team at Instrument.
EXEC CREATIVE PRODUCER
Tori Davis
PRODUCER
Sarah Corey
Shelby Bradley
SENIOR ACCOUNT DIRECTOR
Ana Meier
STRATEGISTS
McKenna Koon Thornburgh
Hilary Maloney
DIRECTOR
___________
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
John Conroy
DESIGN DIRECTOR
Chris Lael Larson
SENIOR DESIGNER
Nimi Einstein
SENIOR COPYWRITER
Alyson Burke
MOTION DESIGNER
Kevin Reid
COLORIST
___________
STYLIST
___________
MUSIC
___________
SOUND DESIGN
___________
CASTING DIRECTOR
Dan Cowan at Broad-Cast