CreateRealFutures

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We are going to transform the way people get ready for the future. And to do that, we’ll need two things: a well-aligned team and a strong foundation. This book is here to help with both.

Let’s get started.

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Live your future,not your history.

Dennis RuppREGISTERED NURSE

BEACH

FOOD

TRAVEL

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VALIC believes in looking forward. We plan ahead, sure, but we

also help build futures worth looking forward to. Futures made even

brighter by an experience that’s the most innovative, personalized, and

immersive in the industry — one founded in technology, but grounded

in humanity.

Because it’s the humans we serve who make all the difference.

They’re our educators and professors, our firemen, and our healthcare

workers. So we’ll meet them — the devoted, the brave, and the

resolute — where they are. We’ll work tirelessly to earn their

confidence, and inspire a dedication only rivaled by our own. Because

these people don’t just make our country tick, they make it run. And

our job is to make sure they’re ready, to give them plans to build on

and futures to count on.

To get there faster, we’ll use technology. We’ll choose tailored over

one-size-fits-most. And we’ll focus on what’s real: people, and

their stories. This is an attitude shift— from: “Well, ready or not,

here it comes” to “Ready? Set? Go get it.” We’ll band together and

accomplish something truly great: we’ll create real futures.

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Create

Real

Futures

Empowered to take action, people will own their plans and feel motivated to

keep moving forward.

A natural, human experience encourages people to strive for a future that

feels attainable and genuine.

Participants are motivated by their progress and have a clear vision for a

destination that is achievable.

CREATE

REAL

FUTURES

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Who we are11110

VALIC will lead people to financial freedom.

Malcom BradleyPOLICE OFFICER

ART

TRAVEL

FAMILY

PURPOSE

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It’s tough to plan ahead — but moments of clarity can make it easier.

Think of them as ‘Aha’ moments, led by interaction.

INSIGHT

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VALIC will own the most personalized experience.

Linda ThompsonELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER

GARDENING

FAMILY

THEATER

Personal isn’t “custom.” We’re not just slapping a name on a website here. It’s an experience — based on individual goals, not just demographics. We don’t just know of you, we know you.

POSITIONING

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Futures Individually Tailored

FITFIT creates value through connected interactions that get smarter over time.

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Let’s set a few rules on how to be FIT.

Bring high touch to high tech

Technology should amplify the human experience, not replace it. Adjustments should be easy — too easy. We want our Participants to feel so at ease, they start to get a little suspicious. That’s a successful balance between tech and touch.

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The key to preparing for retirement is…feeling like you’re actually preparing for retirement. The experience must be believable and achievable. This isn’t just a plan, it’s a game plan. And it’s a great one.

Create realistic futures

The concept of retirement planning is a tough one to grasp — sorta like calculus, but the stakes are higher. So we’ll build an experience packed with relevant technology, engaging visuals and smart language that make complex information digestible, as well as relatable.

Spark moments of clarity

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We won’t say something unless we mean it. And when we do, we’ll use real people. People with real retirement stories that make Participants’ goals feel less like dreams and more like plans.

Be genuine, build trust

A nice person. A person we’d like to have coffee with. Being jargon-filled and robotic is the easy road (and the less effective one). So we’ll focus on what works best: natural, open, honest, direct and funny conversation.

Speak like a person

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We’re not merely spouting advice. We understand customers’ goals and needs — and we know no two are created equal. And so we listen. We become a trusted guide and a source for genuine, personalized help.

Connect with individuals

We’ll sneak in gamification here and there. It makes the experience more fun, sure, but it also sets up a reward system that drives continuous participation — not just once-a-year check-ins.

Drive motivation

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FIT Triggers

Income TomorrowLifetime paycheck

Accumulated $$Money target to enter retirement

Leave a LegacyMoney target after retirement

Second ActDream career, volunteerism,

reinvention, exploration

Retire EarlyTime

My WayRaise horses, paint, travel, big table,

country club membership, etc

Many things motivate us to start prepping for the future. That’s why we’ve tailored an experience to fit any retirement goal — from keeping things just the way they are, to traveling, or starting a second career — we’ve got the ‘aha’ moments covered.

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Real

Personal

Intuitive

Curated

Adaptive

Generic

Reactive

Complex

Formulaic

Enabling

Genuine

Human

Consistent

WE ARE

WE WILL TRY TO AVOID

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Creative Expression2

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We can craft real, emotional connections with photography. We’ll choose pictures filled with people finding happiness — real people having genuine moments. And by choosing subjects who are looking at the camera, we’ll create positive connections. Photographs like these bring the design to life.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Allison SummersCOLLEGE INSTRUCTOR

ACTIVE

FAMILY

ART

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Let’s leverage compelling photography to tell stories. We’ll use a series of photos of the same person, ending with a camera-facing portrait to convey emotion and tell more of a story than a portrait could on its own.

Real people,real stories.

Gerald ErdmanCOLLEGE INSTRUCTOR

GARDENING

THEATER

FOOD

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60%

TO GOAL

INFORMATION AS ART

Charts and graphs alone can be bland and uninspiring.To bring data to life, we’ll combine infographic elements and photography to tell a better story.

CANDID LIFESTYLE SHOTS

Genuine photography adds personality and dimension. Small moments like these build a compelling story, and keep us excited for what’s coming next.

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VALIC has a strong legacy of supporting educators, healthcare professionals and government and public service workers — helping them imagine and plan for financial futures.

Let’s leverage compelling photography and content to tell these stories.

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Color is powerful. And we’ll harness it to create mood and build brand consistency.

COLOR

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Blue is more than VALIC’s primary color — it inspires trust and confidence. So when we’re representing the brand, it’s always the first choice.

But we can also take advantage of a wider color palette to bring more expression and personality to the experience. Secondary colors lend optimism, reassurance, and positivity to the brand.

PRIMARY COLOR

SECONDARY COLORS

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Typography ties it all together with consistent personality.

TYPOGRAPHY

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Sentinel MediumA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Za b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 & ! @ # $ ( % ) ^

Sentinel Medium ItalicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Za b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 & ! @ # $ ( % ) ^

Futura BoldA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Za b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 & ! @ # $ ( % ) ^

Futura HeavyA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Za b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 & ! @ # $ ( % ) ^

Futura MediumA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Za b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 & ! @ # $ ( % ) ^

VALIC’s new brand font is Futura. It’s a classic, efficient, and forward typeface based on simple geometric forms: near-perfect circles, triangles, and squares for a typeface that’s precise and full of character.

The exception is body copy. There we’ll use Sentinel to add texture and interest. It’s a hardworking, legible serif typeface, which improves legibility in large bits of text (like this one here).

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Type hierarchy for user interface content. Type hierarchy for editorial content.Interactions and important content will be typeset in Futura. Hierarchy can be achieved through type sizing and color.

Body copy and smaller legal copy will be typeset in Sentinel.

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Icons add personality.VALIC icons boast a squared outline design — visual cues that are also friendly, simple and playful. They reinforce the brand, complement the font and help tell our stories as well as make navigation a little easier (on the eyes and otherwise).

GOAL ICONS

NAVIGATION & ACTION ICONS

TRAVEL

BEACH

PROFILE MESSAGESSIGN-IN CONTRIBUTIONPORTFOLIO CALENDAR

ART

BIKING

FAMILY

FOOD

GARDENING

THEATER

ICONOGRAPHY

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Celebrate achievements.

Moments of gamification reward participants and sponsors for reaching key milestones, building a sense of accomplishment. They also boast the same playful outline design as the icon system — we like things to match.

PARTICIPANT

SPONSOR

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Words make all the difference.What if getting ready for the future was as simple as shooting the breeze with buddies? Or catching up over coffee with close friends? While we’re at it, what if it was fun? We aim to do all these things (and more) by crafting a voice that’s friendly and approachable, but grounded in expertise — think Bill Nye the Science Guy, not rocket scientist.

Our users will learn, and the stuff they’re learning will be valuable, but they’ll be having so much fun they don’t quite notice they’re getting savvy. At least not at first. “Here’s all that profile and

investment goodness. Take a screenshot. Scrapbook it. Show your mom. You done good.”

“Here is the recap of investment options and personal information.”

TO BE

GOOD COPY EXAMPLE BAD COPY EXAMPLE

TO NOT BEVOICE & TONE

Friendly

Approachable

Curious

Clever

Human

Knowledgeable

Natural

Reassuring

Positive

Chummy

Uninhibited

Overeager

Whimsical

Average

Scholarly

Unpolished

Pandering

Saccharine

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Interactive Examples3

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We will meet people where they are.Because we’ve noticed something: people are on their phones. A lot. So our new mantra is “mobile first.” Having a modular and responsive design system is important. Consistency at every digital touchpoint makes it easier to use, true. But it also means we can be flexible. We’ll be able to adapt to new devices, browsers and platforms faster than the other guys. Take that, other guys.

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Marketing HomepageFirst impressions are kind of a big deal. This homepage is an introduction to the brand, so there’s no room for fumblin’. Equal parts informative and engaging, this long-scrolling format page will have relevant (and authentic) user stories and educational content. And, of course, we’ll pull it all together with fun gamification moments to help the user get started.

TARGETED FEATURES

The hero area offers a great way to surface highly personalized content. Content that’s not just real, it’s relevant, too. Our teachers, healthcare workers and firemen will be able to read stories about users who share their professions.

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USER POLLS

When we ask for input, everything gets better. We can tweak the content we’re surfacing and make sure the experience fits each user perfectly.

COMPELLING SIGNUP

Static and stale signup pages are a thing of the past. Potential users will find it’s easy to play around with the experience, they’ll get a little curious, and then they’ll jump on in.

GAMIFY IT

Information has greater impact when it’s presented in a way that’s fun and interactive. Users aren’t just engaged in the experience, they’re captivated.

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Participant WorkspaceThis is it, folks. Where the magic happens. And by ‘magic,’ we mean ‘planning.’ It’s practically the same thing in our book. Here Participants can track future income, performance and portfolio metrics as well as make tweaks here and there to stay the course. By keeping the modular design open and clean, personalization is accomplished easily.

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RETIREMENT READINESS

Retirement planning should be exciting, not stressful. So we created a system that encourages people to play around with variables like retirement age and contributions. They can see an accurate projection of where they stand now as well as realize how a few small changes today can make all the difference later.

MY PORTFOLIO

Looking at something as important as asset allocation and performance graphs should be fun. A visually engaging set-up allows users to see performance and allocation with a tap, arming them with the information they need to make the best investment decisions.

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MY ACCOUNT BALANCE & CONTRIBUTION

We believe in keeping the important things front-and-center. So it’s easy to check in on the big numbers like balance and contribution, but there should be a clear path to the details, too.

FLIP TO REVEAL

A flip-to-reveal design offers a simple presentation, but everything important is still accessible. This progressive disclosure of content means the details behind th numbers are just a tap away. The perfect formula for keeping users engaged.

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CONTEXTUAL HELP

Gone are the days of pop-up tips that are annoying and unnecessary. We’ll offer help in a way that’s fun, interesting, and on an as-needed basis.

TARGETED EDUCATION

We’ll surface information users need, before they realize they need it. And we won’t stop with retirement education — career-based resources for our service-oriented core members will compel them to check in with us more often.

EDUCATION CENTER

This is where all of our education resources live. The dashboard makes it a cinch to search and filter, and we’ll be sure to surface content that’s targeted to each user’s needs.

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CREATE A PROFILE

A series of simple yes or no questions makes the profile creation process snackable instead of cumbersome. This means more people will stay engaged and complete their profiles instead of leaving business unfinished.

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EnrollmentWe want our audience to stay engaged. Hey! Hey! Over here! See? It’s not easy. So we’ll chuck long and confusing forms in favor of a fun, seamless enrollment process. It gets our Participants, well, participating — and little hints of gamification make sure they keep moving forward. And if they smile a bit, too? Even better.

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Sponsor WorkspaceThis is the good stuff: Plan assets, performance, enrollment and engagement benchmarks. Important things, made easy to understand and manage through organization, events and messaging. Heck, Sponsors can even create and manage polls, too. Pretty cool, eh?

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How VALIC helps Sponsors

BalanceVALIC helps employees retire on time. This creates a healthy mix of veterans

and new hires.

ControlVALIC empowers sponsors to transform

customized content and data into actionable experiences.

FITVALIC stands for value — the right value

for our sponsors as well as the people they represent.

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PLAN ASSETS

The experience should feel friendly and welcoming for Sponsors, too. So we’ll use a clean, simple interface that’s visually engaging and packed with relevant information. Users can access performance graphs and asset allocation details with a tap to check in on how they’re doing.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

We’ll surface interesting, relevant content here — video seminars, tips for organization, and other education needs just for Sponsors.

CURRENT POLL RESULTS

Sponsors can create polls for their participants as well as keep an eye on the results, all in one place.

PLAN HEALTH

These are the important numbers. All in one place, all easy to access, and completely customizable. Let’s make it easy for sponsors to compare how they’re doing now with last year’s progress and see what needs to change (or give themselves a pat on the back).

CALENDAR, REPORTS & MESSAGES

This streamlined calendar module stores reports and messages and syncs to a personal calendar.

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It’s time to get

FIT

For internal purpose only. Not for commercial use.

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