Meet abrdn

abrdn is committed to providing timely, personalised retirement advice through a unique hybrid model that blends advanced data and technology with the deep expertise of experienced human advisors. Their services, traditionally focused on those aged 55 and above, began attracting a younger audience eager for guidance. Recognising the potential to expand their reach, abrdn partnered with CreateFuture to explore new ways to engage this emerging demographic.

 
 
 
"Having worked with a few proposition design agencies, I have a nose for BS. With CreateFuture you get a team that are unafraid to get their hands dirty, that know what they're good at, that deliver innovative stretch grounded in reality. They even know how to make Zoom workshops fun."

Andy Dunbar

Head of Product & Customer Experience, abrdn

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The brief

abrdn’s established retirement advice service was increasingly attracting interest from individuals in their 40s and early 50s—an age group not traditionally targeted by their offering. The brief was simple yet challenging: what could abrdn offer to meet the needs of this younger audience while maintaining the integrity and value of their brand?

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The challenge

Retirement is no longer a one-size-fits-all journey. Our research revealed that for this younger cohort, retirement was about more than just financial planning. These individuals led active lives, did not view themselves as nearing old age, and sought guidance on a range of topics beyond just money. Additionally, the way people wanted to receive advice had shifted, with a growing preference for digital and flexible methods such as video chat, especially in the wake of the pandemic. The challenge was to design a service that addressed both the practical and emotional needs of these customers, guiding them towards meaningful action in planning their future.

 
 
 
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The solution

Insight

Our approach began with comprehensive desk research and interviews that uncovered key insights about this audience. With this foundation, CreateFuture facilitated a remote sprint, bringing together key stakeholders to rapidly develop and iterate on ideas. Over the course of a week, we distilled these ideas into the following main offerings:

Self-assessment

A simple, engaging tool designed to help prospects self-assess their readiness for retirement, considering broader aspects of life planning and guiding them to relevant content.

Lifestyle

A series of videos and articles covering a diverse range of topics beyond finances, such as finding purpose in retirement and maintaining physical fitness. This content was designed to resonate with the audience’s broader interests and aspirations.

Coaching

More than just financial advice, these offerings included short online videos, comprehensive courses, and personalised 1-to-1 career coaching to support individuals in all aspects of their retirement planning.

Prototyping and Testing

We crafted prototypes of these offerings, creating a seamless journey from awareness to acquisition. To validate our approach, we conducted online surveys and virtual interviews with potential users. The feedback confirmed the existence of an unmet need that abrdn was well-positioned to support, and it also highlighted the importance of a redefined content strategy and an expanded scope for their digital triage tools.

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The outcome

The insights and solutions developed through this process were instrumental in helping abrdn shift from a short-term, transactional approach to a strategy focused on building deeper, long-term relationships with their clients. By extending their digital offerings and enhancing their content strategy, abrdn was able to meaningfully engage with a younger audience, positioning themselves as a leader in the evolving retirement landscape.

 
 

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