—— 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, inspire, and delight.

THE CHALLENGE

Educate the audience about Wealthsimple’s enhanced benefits without sacrificing its 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.

Transform the financial waiting game into a celebration of life’s little joys.

THE IDEA

Celebrating the journey, not just the destination.

With our strategy in place, we knew we needed a campaign that celebrated the journey to wealth, but we also recognized the importance of avoiding clichéd banking tropes. In Wealthsimple’s words, “If it feels banky, it’s not us.”

With this in mind, we developed a concept that 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 with one simple message.

Building wealth takes time. Live a little while you wait.

THE KEY MESSAGE

Photogrpahy with a wink

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 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
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CREATIVE DIRECTOR

John Conroy

DESIGN DIRECTOR
Chris Lael Larson

SENIOR DESIGNER
Nimi Einstein

SENIOR COPYWRITER
Alyson Burke

MOTION DESIGNER
Kevin Reid


COLORIST
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STYLIST
___________

MUSIC
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SOUND DESIGN
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CASTING DIRECTOR
Dan Cowan at Broad-Cast