How can USAA spark excitement about membership with 18 year-olds who have inherited theirs from their parents?
By acknowleding them as their peers.
The Challenge
USAA is innately a company of services and products that are exclusive to the military community. And while there are members under 18 who have not served in the military themselves, they have been made eligible by way of their parent who has. However, as they become adults, the membership is automatically transferred to their full ownership and they have complete buying autonomy. In the past, this would mostly go unacknowledged by the brand, leaving new adult members completely unaware of the new freedom their membership grants. We knew as an exclusive service, we were missing the opportunity to congratulate these new members on the most relished part of USAA— finally becoming eligible.
The Audience
New adult teens who are now the head of their own USAA Membership.
The Insight
A child’s first financial advisor is, more often than not, the parent that gave them membership.
The Solution
Convince 18-year-olds that they can own their financial lives by empowering them to continue existing conversations about money management with their parents. And vice versa.
The Tactic
Using a two-prong tactical approach, communicate to both parents and their new adult children that USAA has the experience and suite of products to put them on a path towards financial success.
Membership Acknowledgement.
Despite their proclivity for all things social, our research revealed time and time again that tangible media had our audience’s hearts won. While knowing they expected us to meet them where they’re at tonally, delivering their official membership card through mail was our tactical way of bringing them back to their memories of their parents sifting through USAA mailers. This was our unique opportunity to subtly remind them they’ve finally arrived as adults in the brand’s eyes.
One-to-one product deepening.
Using our acute understanding of our audience, through email and direct mail, our team developed a two channel cadence to enrich their understanding of what is possible with USAA at their side. And how it is a continuation of the same support their parent or guardian gave them with their membership.
Social tactics.
While USAA knew they’d need to build a meaningful one-to-one experience for new adult members through email and direct mail, tacking on Snapchat ads to the media buy allowed for them to amplify their message of empowering members financial futures while also reiterating our values to a more diverse socia-first audience.