With four in 10 U.S. households at risk of running out of money in retirement, financial security is more critical than ever. TIAA (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America) is a trusted, century-old financial services organization that’s helping millions pursue and achieve financial well-being through its retirement services, investing and advice. From educators to healthcare professionals, TIAA provides financial security for those who serve others, supporting more than 5M+ people today.
However, retirement annuities and savings strategies can be complex, often intimidating people to the point where they don't know even where to start. TIAA, in partnership with Code and Theory, led a strategic redesign of its web experience and digital brand expression to effectively communicate its variety of offerings and drive the most meaningful impact for the most people possible.
The impact has been palpable for TIAA’s business, brand, and, most importantly, its customers. It delivers a proven, impactful way for people everywhere to learn about lifetime income so they can achieve the retirement security they deserve.
Code and Theory delved into extensive reports, white papers, and spreadsheets to grasp the insights and intricacies of TIAA’s annuity offerings, their role in retirement and how they are differentiated from the market. That data was compared to how the broader financial services space is offering, messaging and delivering on similar services to TIAA. The key takeaways were clear on the surface, but difficult problem to solve: planning for retirement is intimidating. Annuities are complex. The vocabulary around these services is overwhelming. The digital experiences meant to anchor and guide people are actually ineffective and cumbersome.
This gave TIAA an opening to bring clarity to the chaos.
Simplicity became the crux of the strategy. and it is the new fabric woven throughout the reimagined tiaa.com. The new experience is guided, interactive and educational, free of redundancies and consolidated by 50% fewer web pages.
The redesigned TIAA website transforms financial uncertainty into confidence by making complex retirement planning clear, accessible, and actionable. Interactive educational experiences adapt to users’ financial fluency, allowing them to skim key insights or dive deep into tailored content. Engaging storytelling and intuitive tools debunk common myths about annuities, helping individuals understand their role in securing lifetime income. Custom calculators empower users to visualize their retirement scenarios and take informed action. By positioning TIAA as a trusted partner, the site delivers clarity, confidence, and a path toward a more secure future.
Ever heard of a monthly retirement check for life? It's no gimmick.
TIAA Traditional, their flagship fixed annuity, provides guaranteed growth while saving and monthly retirement checks that ensure people have money coming in as long as they live. But annuities, like so many financial products in this space, are perceived as complicated, expensive, and inflexible. So we simplified things, reimagining TIAA’s Lifetime Income experience with interactive educational flows aimed at guiding participants toward a secure retirement.
Since launch, advice session starts with a financial consultant have increased by 94%, and users spend 40% more time on average. SEO rank has also improved by 76%.
TIAA has ensured its digital experience lives up to its brand promise, proactively creating a pathway to educate and empower people everywhere to become more financially secure. And the numbers prove that it's working:
“This new TIAA experience is super digestible. You have tangible examples. You have deep dives. All the information is broken up in a very good way that makes it easy to absorb." - Testimonial from TIAA user.
