Estate Planning
Northwestern Mutual
How do you make estate planning feel less complicated?
Northwestern Mutual came to us to create a series of films for their high-net-worth clients, an audience accustomed to thoughtful, sophisticated communication. Rather than illustrating each idea literally, we developed a visual system that could make complex financial concepts feel clear, engaging, and personal.
As the first film in the series, Estate Planning established the creative direction for the campaign. We built a geometric world of shapes, color, movement, and metaphor that could adapt to different stories while giving the series a cohesive visual identity.
We explored how far that language could go, developing a system designed not just for one film, but to grow with the campaign.
Estate Planning
Northwestern Mutual
How do you make estate planning feel less complicated?
Northwestern Mutual came to us to create a series of films for their high-net-worth clients, an audience accustomed to thoughtful, sophisticated communication. Rather than illustrating each idea literally, we developed a visual system that could make complex financial concepts feel clear, engaging, and personal.
As the first film in the series, Estate Planning established the creative direction for the campaign. We built a geometric world of shapes, color, movement, and metaphor that could adapt to different stories while giving the series a cohesive visual identity.
We explored how far that language could go, developing a system designed not just for one film, but to grow with the campaign.
Estate Planning
Northwestern Mutual
How do you make estate planning feel less complicated?
Northwestern Mutual came to us to create a series of films for their high-net-worth clients, an audience accustomed to thoughtful, sophisticated communication. Rather than illustrating each idea literally, we developed a visual system that could make complex financial concepts feel clear, engaging, and personal.
As the first film in the series, Estate Planning established the creative direction for the campaign. We built a geometric world of shapes, color, movement, and metaphor that could adapt to different stories while giving the series a cohesive visual identity.
We explored how far that language could go, developing a system designed not just for one film, but to grow with the campaign.
Make The Abstract
Tangible
Making The
Abstract
Tangible
Because this was the first film in a larger campaign, we weren't simply designing a look for one story. We were establishing a visual system that could support many.
We explored a range of approaches to shape, color, composition, texture, and motion, testing what felt appropriately sophisticated for the audience while still giving the films a sense of warmth and personality.
The final direction grew from that exploration: a flexible geometric language that could turn abstract ideas into visual stories and give the entire series a recognizable point of view.
Making The Abstract
Tangible
Because this was the first film in a larger campaign, we weren't simply designing a look for one story. We were establishing a visual system that could support many.
We explored a range of approaches to shape, color, composition, texture, and motion, testing what felt appropriately sophisticated for the audience while still giving the films a sense of warmth and personality.
The final direction grew from that exploration: a flexible geometric language that could turn abstract ideas into visual stories and give the entire series a recognizable point of view.
Credits
Credits
Credits
Client:
Northwestern Mutual
Creative Directors & Producers:
Clara Lehmann and Jonathan Lacocque
Design Director:
Ryan Butterworth
Associate Producer:
Grace Lawson
Designers:
Ahmet Ilstas, Peiqing Lu, and Ryan Butterworth
Additional Designer:
Nurullah Ozturk
Animators:
Kimathi Flavien, Mantas Graužinis, Peiqing Lu,
& Ryan Butterworth
Composer:
Matt Stanfield
Thandi Murray
Sound Designer:
Jenna Coyle
Haewon Shin
Client:
Northwestern Mutual
Creative Directors & Producers:
Clara Lehmann and Jonathan Lacocque
Design Director:
Ryan Butterworth
Associate Producer:
Grace Lawson
Designers:
Ahmet Ilstas, Peiqing Lu, and Ryan Butterworth
Additional Designer:
Nurullah Ozturk
Animators:
Kimathi Flavien, Mantas Graužinis, Peiqing Lu,
& Ryan Butterworth
Composer:
Matt Stanfield
Thandi Murray
Sound Designer:
Jenna Coyle
Haewon Shin
Legacy
Northwestern Mutual
The first film, Estate Planning, established the system. Legacy gave us the opportunity to push it further, using the same visual vocabulary to tell a very different story.
What do we leave behind? How do our choices, relationships, and resources shape the people and generations that come after us?
Rather than illustrating those literally, we used the campaign's geometric language to build a visual story around them. The result is a film that demonstrates what the system that takes complex ideas and turns them into clear, engaging stories.
Legacy
Northwestern Mutual
The first film, Estate Planning, established the system. Legacy gave us the opportunity to push it further, using the same visual vocabulary to tell a very different story.
What do we leave behind? How do our choices, relationships, and resources shape the people and generations that come after us?
Rather than illustrating those literally, we used the campaign's geometric language to build a visual story around them. The result is a film that demonstrates what the system that takes complex ideas and turns them into clear, engaging stories.
Legacy
Northwestern Mutual
The first film, Estate Planning, established the system. Legacy gave us the opportunity to push it further, using the same visual vocabulary to tell a very different story.
What do we leave behind? How do our choices, relationships, and resources shape the people and generations that come after us?
Rather than illustrating those literally, we used the campaign's geometric language to build a visual story around them. The result is a film that demonstrates what the system that takes complex ideas and turns them into clear, engaging stories.
Credits
Credits
Credits
Client:
Northwestern Mutual
Creative Directors & Producers:
Clara Lehmann and Jonathan Lacocque
Design Director:
Ryan Butterworth
Associate Producer:
Grace Lawson
Designers:
Peiqing Lu, Ryan Butterworth, & Wendy Eduarte
Animators:
Peiqing Lu & Ryan Butterworth
Composer:
Matt Stanfield
Thandi Murray
Sound Designer:
Jenna Coyle
Amanda Godreau
Client:
Northwestern Mutual
Creative Directors & Producers:
Clara Lehmann and Jonathan Lacocque
Design Director:
Ryan Butterworth
Associate Producer:
Grace Lawson
Designers:
Peiqing Lu, Ryan Butterworth, & Wendy Eduarte
Animators:
Peiqing Lu & Ryan Butterworth
Composer:
Matt Stanfield
Thandi Murray
Sound Designer:
Jenna Coyle
Amanda Godreau
Charitable Giving
Northwestern Mutual
Charitable giving is emotional by nature, but for Northwestern Mutual’s audience, it can also be an important part of financial planning. We used the campaign’s geometric vocabulary to explore that intersection, creating a visual story that connects generosity with strategy.
Charitable Giving
Northwestern Mutual
Charitable giving is emotional by nature, but for Northwestern Mutual’s audience, it can also be an important part of financial planning. We used the campaign’s geometric vocabulary to explore that intersection, creating a visual story that connects generosity with strategy.
Charitable Giving
Northwestern Mutual
Charitable giving is emotional by nature, but for Northwestern Mutual’s audience, it can also be an important part of financial planning. We used the campaign’s geometric vocabulary to explore that intersection, creating a visual story that connects generosity with strategy.
Credits
Credits
Credits
Client:
Northwestern Mutual
Creative Directors & Producers:
Clara Lehmann and Jonathan Lacocque
Design Director:
Ryan Butterworth
Associate Producer:
Grace Lawson
Designers:
Peiqing Lu & Ryan Butterworth
Animators:
Chris Moberg, Peiqing Lu, & Ryan Butterworth
Composer:
Matt Stanfield
Thandi Murray
Sound Designer:
Jenna Coyle
Client:
Northwestern Mutual
Creative Directors & Producers:
Clara Lehmann and Jonathan Lacocque
Design Director:
Ryan Butterworth
Associate Producer:
Grace Lawson
Designers:
Peiqing Lu & Ryan Butterworth
Animators:
Chris Moberg, Peiqing Lu, & Ryan Butterworth
Composer:
Matt Stanfield
Thandi Murray
Sound Designer:
Jenna Coyle
Longevity
Northwestern Mutual
For Longevity, we took a more typography-driven approach, allowing words and phrases to become an active part of the visual storytelling. Text doesn't simply accompany the narration; it shapes the composition, controls the pace, and helps make the ideas land. It was another opportunity to stretch the campaign's visual system while keeping its underlying character intact.
Longevity
Northwestern Mutual
For Longevity, we took a more typography-driven approach, allowing words and phrases to become an active part of the visual storytelling. Text doesn't simply accompany the narration; it shapes the composition, controls the pace, and helps make the ideas land. It was another opportunity to stretch the campaign's visual system while keeping its underlying character intact.
Longevity
Northwestern Mutual
For Longevity, we took a more typography-driven approach, allowing words and phrases to become an active part of the visual storytelling. Text doesn't simply accompany the narration; it shapes the composition, controls the pace, and helps make the ideas land. It was another opportunity to stretch the campaign's visual system while keeping its underlying character intact.
Credits
Credits
Credits
Client:
Northwestern Mutual
Creative Directors & Producers:
Clara Lehmann and Jonathan Lacocque
Design Director:
Ryan Butterworth
Associate Producer:
Grace Lawson
Designers:
Peiqing Lu & Ryan Butterworth
Animators:
Chris Moberg, Peiqing Lu & Ryan Butterworth
Composer:
Matt Stanfield
Thandi Murray
Sound Designer:
Jenna Coyle
Client:
Northwestern Mutual
Creative Directors & Producers:
Clara Lehmann and Jonathan Lacocque
Design Director:
Ryan Butterworth
Associate Producer:
Grace Lawson
Designers:
Peiqing Lu & Ryan Butterworth
Animators:
Chris Moberg, Peiqing Lu & Ryan Butterworth
Composer:
Matt Stanfield
Thandi Murray
Sound Designer:
Jenna Coyle
Conversations
Northwestern Mutual
The film continues the geometric language established throughout the Northwestern Mutual campaign, but gives that language a new purpose: using movement, form, and interaction to capture the feeling of a conversation unfolding.
This wasn't the last video in our campaign with Northwestern Mutual. The story continues.
Conversations
Northwestern
Mutual
The film continues the geometric language established throughout the Northwestern Mutual campaign, but gives that language a new purpose: using movement, form, and interaction to capture the feeling of a conversation unfolding.
This wasn't the last video in our campaign with Northwestern Mutual. The story continues.
Conversations
Northwestern Mutual
The film continues the geometric language established throughout the Northwestern Mutual campaign, but gives that language a new purpose: using movement, form, and interaction to capture the feeling of a conversation unfolding.
This wasn't the last video in our campaign with Northwestern Mutual. The story continues.
Credits
Credits
Credits
Client:
Northwestern Mutual
Creative Directors & Producers:
Clara Lehmann and Jonathan Lacocque
Design Director:
Ryan Butterworth
Associate Producer:
Grace Lawson
Designers:
Peiqing Lu, Ryan Butterworth, & Wendy Eduarte
Animators:
Chris Moberg, Peiqing Lu & Ryan Butterworth
Composer:
Matt Stanfield
Thandi Murray
Sound Designer:
Jenna Coyle
Client:
Northwestern Mutual
Creative Directors & Producers:
Clara Lehmann and Jonathan Lacocque
Design Director:
Ryan Butterworth
Associate Producer:
Grace Lawson
Designers:
Peiqing Lu, Ryan Butterworth, & Wendy Eduarte
Animators:
Chris Moberg, Peiqing Lu & Ryan Butterworth
Composer:
Matt Stanfield
Thandi Murray
Sound Designer:
Jenna Coyle
