Case study / Brand and product — Payactiv
A rebrand & new app put Payactiv back at #1
Project overview
Helped passionate fintech founders simplify their message and launch an app experience that doubled their customer base.
Brand strategy and product design
- → Brand positioning
- → Product definition
- → Message development
- → Mobile app IA
- → UX copy
Key results
40% more engagement
- New app & campaign increased activity from existing users by 40%
- ~38k reviews with an average of 4.8 stars
2x more customers
- New app and messaging helped founders double customer base in the first year
- Returned to #1 Earned Wage Access product in the marketplace
3 design awards
- 2021 Digital Wallet Impact Innovation Award
- 2022 American Business Award
- 2022 HR Tech Award
01 / Reframing
A simpler message made the value of earned wage access clear.
Brand positioning focused the company on dignity, control, and financial wellbeing rather than the mechanics of a financial transaction.
01 / Reframing
A focused message gave the brand a clear organizing idea.
The messaging system connected the company’s purpose, customer promise, and product story in language people could understand.
01 / Reframing
A distinct voice made financial wellbeing feel human.
Message examples translated the strategy into direct, useful communication for customers and employers.
01 / Reframing
Writing principles made the new voice repeatable.
Practical guidance helped teams communicate with empathy, clarity, and confidence across every customer touchpoint.
02 / Product
The new product story extended across the web experience.
Responsive marketing pages brought the message, product tools, and customer benefits together in one cohesive system.
02 / Product
The brand position became a product language system.
A shared vocabulary connected brand messaging, feature definitions, and UX copy into one coherent experience.
02 / Product
The product story made earned wage access easier to understand.
Motion brought the new positioning to life and showed how Payactiv gave customers more control over their money.
02 / Product
The system clarified how each product supported financial wellbeing.
Messaging architecture gave teams a consistent way to explain earned wage access and adjacent financial tools.
02 / Product
Information architecture made everyday tools easier to navigate.
The app organized accounts, access, savings, and spending around customer goals rather than internal product categories.
02 / Product
Onboarding introduced the new experience one clear step at a time.
Product definition, mobile IA, and UX copy worked together from first impression through everyday use.
03 / Launch
A unified app experience put Payactiv back at #1.
The launch gave customers an easier product and helped the founders double their customer base.
03 / Launch
A shared language library helped the system scale.
Reusable terminology and guidance kept the brand and product experience aligned as new features launched.
