BRAND REFRESH CASE STUDY
MOTION DESIGN SYSTEM
For most of company's first hundred years, they were the unquestioned choice. But that’s no longer true, thanks to seismic shifts in the retirement industry and the way we all live. Legislation and competitors. Ways of funding retirement. Attitudes toward work, leisure, and purpose. Anxieties about the future. Expectations for what they deliver to the people they serve and how they do it. All of them have radically transformed.
But what hasn’t changed is how much people need it.
01. Background
This evolution began in early 2021 with an enterprise-wide education program about its brand promise and client commitments. To represent TIAA's modern approach to client-centric marketing, the company has a refreshed visual brand identity being released in phases through 2021.
The brand strategy is evolving to help accurately reflect who it serves, highlighting the company’s core focus of retirement. Its new brand promise and client commitments are the core of the brand strategy to become a more client-centric company. Its visual identity and verbal identity are becoming more strategic.
The team has developed a fresh motion design system, which is a crucial component of the new brand guidelines.
02. Objectives
Pre-Launch:
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Consistency: Establish consistent motion guidelines across different platforms and touchpoints.
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Testing: Conduct thorough usability testing to identify any issues or improvements.
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Training: Train relevant teams on using the motion design system effectively.
Launch:
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Integration: Seamlessly integrate the motion design system into existing digital and physical assets.
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Awareness: Promote awareness of the new system among stakeholders.
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Data: Create a feedback loop for continuous improvement based on user insights.
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Measurement: Define key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate the system’s impact.
03. Strategy
Get: a clear understanding of who it serves and its core focus on retirement.
To: accurately reflect this understanding in the brand’s messaging and positioning.
By: emphasizing the new brand promise and client commitments.
Think: of the company as more client-centric.
Feel: trust and alignment with the brand.
Do: create a new motion design system to reinforce this strategic direction.
04. Execution
TIAA, in its retirement offering, presents itself uniquely to the world. Our videos are content-driven, sophisticated, and dynamic. We seamlessly blend well-shot, beautifully lit subjects with attention-grabbing motion graphics. These elements serve a purpose: to emphasize key points, engage viewers, and communicate clearly. Animation, as an extension of our voice, embodies precision and aligns with our tone and approach.
MOTION DESIGN SYSTEM PRINCIPLES
Results
Motion Design System
Our motion design system now aligns seamlessly with the overall brand refresh. Animations are purposeful, engaging, and reinforce key brand messages.
Cross-Channel Brand Development
The brand refresh has been successfully implemented across all touchpoints: website, social media, email campaigns, and physical collateral.
Data-Driven Design
A/B testing played a crucial role in refining our brand elements. Insights from user behavior guided adjustments, resulting in more effective communication.
01. ATTENTION
Motion focuses attention on what's important, without creating unnecessary distraction. It’s essential in effective communication.
We’re using two types of speed animation. The energy between the two provide a compelling contrast to each element in motion.
It’s important to maintain a focal point of interest and seamlessly transfer it from one subject to the next.
We’re using single-axis transitions. It’s important to ensure that a movement remains controlled, clearly focused and positioned to create balanced compositions.
02. VISUAL CLARITY
TIAA animations are simple, consistent in transition directions and elegant in their effect.
Every movement of an element increases the density of information presented to a viewer. We’re seeking to minimize an on-screen content at a time.
During transitions from one key to another, we’re striving to maintain clean and precise silhouettes by avoiding odd shapes, irregular angles, overlaps and intersections.
It’s important to creating a sense of reason and purpose. We’re consistent in which direction elements move in and out of frame or how crossfades and type behave.
03. PERSONALITY
A coherent set of animation principles used to express our brand style – TIAA Brand feels confident, alive and natural.
Every motion is decisive, efficient and with purpose. Align to the grid. Snap into place. Use momentum to generate crisp transitions.
It’s important to stablish a sense of rhythm in motion. Our animation is well-paced and understandable –rarely does everything happen at once.
Our motion design system is elegant and simple - with a fluidity to its motion.