The Challenge: Finding a Creative Way to Share a Unique Vision
Lighthouse Financials needed a consistent, full-scale marketing solution that could creatively and effectively convey their unique positioning in their industry.
Director of Marketing and Business Development, Danae McDaniel was tasked with one goal in mind: share Financial Lighthouse’s unique positioning via creativity. After countless trial and error with freelance marketplaces and in-house teams, it was clear it was time for something new.
Without a promised design-driven ROI, it was hard for the team to confidently determine the next steps in the company’s marketing department. While these disadvantages are what led Lighthouse Financial to Designity, they also left Danae and her team at a standstill.
Past uncertainty raised questions like if Designity would be able to handle the full-scope project in the company’s pipeline, or if their creative director would even understand their industry and unique positioning in the market. As common as these concerns are, they weren’t enough to make Lighthouse Financial’s team look past Designity.
Being familiar with the world of investments made it clear that making commitments was not a decision to be made hastily. Lighthouse Financial might have been in great need of a full-scale marketing solution, but landing on a long-term, headache-free solution was more of the priority. With the help of a free trial and the ability to trial two creative directors, Danae found Designity’s model to be a match for the company’s projects.
“It was the largest financial commitment we made in working with a third-party marketing expert,” shares Danae, who soon saw the commitment as an investment worthwhile. Since then, Lighthouse Financial has relied on Designity as their go-to design and marketing partner for 27 months and counting.
The Solution: A Creative Partnership to Bring a Vision to Life
Designity provided Lighthouse Financial with a full-scale marketing transformation, including a rebranding, a new website, and integrated creative strategies.
Finding the perfect solution was only one part of the quest. Danae made it a priority to be matched with a Creative Director who could execute Lighthouse Financial’s vision. After a second try at a Creative Director, Aboozar B. was identified as the most compatible, who still works with the company to this day.
Danae shares that Aboozar “brings in great ideas, provides a team of highly skilled people, and produces high-quality marketing.” This is done by going outside the boundaries of the financial industry and into a nonjudgemental creative partnership where no idea is left behind. After months of working with each other, Danae has observed the relationship to have increasingly become more seamless and effective in achieving the goals set forth.
However, the limits of the Lighthouse Financial team never stopped Aboozar from sharing his out-of-the-box ideas. And with shorter phone calls, fewer revisions, and aligned values, executing such audacious ideas became the norm. “I have great respect and trust in Aboozar to help us grow our business through marketing success,” says Danae, who quickly experienced the power of her creative director’s dedication to creativity.
An Experience Worth Every Penny
If there’s one thing that was most important to Lighthouse Financial, it was building the skillsets needed to execute their full-scope projects. Just about every campaign required specialties like animation, web development, and copywriting, as well as connectivity capability to track progress via the company’s automated technologies.
“It would be impossible to create continuity of design and strategy with individual freelancers,” discloses Danae. With Aboozar coordinating all the skills needed to get a comprehensive marketing outcome, the Lighthouse Financial team could cross evaluating candidates off their list. Getting the right talent for each project was just as much of a breeze as coming up with the idea in the first place.
Initially, the company approached Designity with a new website on their to-do list, but after Aboozar compiled a strategy, plans changed. A fresh website was on the way; however, a new brand identity was to be tackled first. Aboozar explains that starting Lighthouse Financial on a brand exploration would enable them to “focus on their client’s lifestyle and client-company relationship,” eventually leading to a more impactful client experience.
While rebranding was certainly old news to the expert, Aboozar admits to having found it challenging to create a new image for a company that has already been in business for 29 years. Although a common struggle for many creative directors working with longtime clients, reinventing this firm via this strong partnership went far more smoothly than ever anticipated.
The Result: Creative Transformation to Drive Long-Term ROI
Lighthouse Financial achieved a successful rebrand, streamlined marketing execution, and improved client experience, with long-term ROI expected as new material is implemented.
Five-star quality was among the first priorities of the Lighthouse Financial team, but receiving a long-term ROI from each project was always stored at the back of the mind. Results, however, aren’t solely dependent on the creative efforts by teams at Designity, but rely on the client’s participation too.
Creative Director, Aboozar shares that “the amazing results couldn’t be achieved without Danae. She’s open to hearing crazy ideas. She’s very flexible and willing to cross borders. She trusts me as a professional to try whatever I think works best at each stage.” Staying on the same page as a creative unit meant agreeing on concepts and executing goals set beforehand. With both trust and creativity, the partnership was fueled to tackle every full-scope project that Danae was hoping to execute.
Although Lighthouse Financial has witnessed visual results during their association with Designity, the actual ROI is expected to materialize in 2022, after the company implements its new marketing and sales materials. As project timelines continue to shorten as the solution becomes more regular, Designity is expected to be a long-term partner for Danae’s marketing department moving forward.
{{testimonial-component}}
Convincing a company that specializes in financial investments to invest in creativity was most certainly an ironic situation. After countless trial and error, the Lighthouse Financial team needed two things within reach, design and marketing, and they needed it fast.
Building and maintaining a company of excellence meant taking its marketing department to the next level. And after 27 consecutive months of a new brand, five-star quality projects, and fresh, out-of-the-box ideas, it’s safe to say that creativity has been proven to be the best investment.
<div class="c-blog_comp-cta cc-component-1"><div class="c-blog_comp-cta-left"><div class="c-blog_comp-cta-left-wrap"><img src="https://global-uploads.webflow.com/61cdf3c5e0b8155f19e0105b/6334d81a29c751ccd8c26638_brain-orchestra.png" loading="lazy" alt="" sizes="(max-width: 479px) 93vw, (max-width: 767px) 96vw, 363px" srcset="https://global-uploads.webflow.com/61cdf3c5e0b8155f19e0105b/6334d81a29c751ccd8c26638_brain-orchestra-p-500.png 500w, https://global-uploads.webflow.com/61cdf3c5e0b8155f19e0105b/6334d81a29c751ccd8c26638_brain-orchestra.png 500w" class="c-blog_comp-cta-left-img"></div></div><div class="c-blog_comp-cta-right"><div class="c-blog_comp-content"><div class="c-text-wrapper cc-mb-32"><div class="c-title-4 cc-bold"><strong>Want to save money without sacrificing the quality?</strong></div></div><div class="c-text-wrapper"><div class="c-text-2">Say goodbye to traditional, expensive agencies and unreliable marketplaces. Say hello to Designity.</div></div></div><div class="c-blog_comp-wrapper"><a href="/pricing" target="_blank" class="c-button cc-primary cc-inverted w-button"><strong>Get Your 2-Week Trial</strong></a></div></div></div>
About Lighthouse Financial
Based in Brea, California, Lighthouse Financial is a one-stop shop for all things retirement planning. The company’s comprehensive holistic approach to finance aims to supports success up to and through retirement. With the help of a wealth management service, Lighthouse Financial provides clients with investment management and tax planning assistance. The company’s priority is to help people and their families become financially free by supplementing the 3 most critical financial areas of their life: retirement, investment, and taxes.
Disclaimer: Because we prioritize the privacy and security of our clients, some information or visuals may be missing from this case study.
