Investing in the Digital Age

Trends / Technology
MirageC
1409756876
Davina Ajana
Dec 15, 2022
It may seem unrealistic to be considering investing or saving during these times of weak economic outlook, supply chain disruptions and towering inflation. But businesses and European consumers are still thinking long‑term when it comes to savings and investments and some of the benefits financial products may provide.1 According to the International Monetary Fund report,2 European families’ savings rates increased to almost 19% between 2020 and 2021, while most people were home during pandemic. At the same time, Getty Images customer searches for ‘savings’ have increased by 471% year on year and ‘investing’ searches have increased by 373%, indicating that our customers are still keen to communicate both through their visual choices.
No matter how they are choosing to invest, Getty Images' VisualGPS consumer survey finds that 56% of Europeans are using technology to achieve investment goals which were once seen as a struggle. With consumers moving more towards digital banking, it’s important that brands understand which visuals inspire engagement and digital trust.

To inspire trust, prioritize simplicity and transparent visual communication around digital devices and themes, whether it’s personal or business‑related. When visualizing digital banking, consider using visuals that show the convenience of using technology in everyday life, at home, at work or on holiday.  For example, there is a key opportunity to represent different multigenerational families having a keen interest in saving. How do you do that in a differentiated way? When visualizing families, consider scenarios around different types of savings for different generations such as bonds, pensions, short and long‑term savings, and green investments. Our financial services customers favor physical savings jars as an icon to communicate savings to all generations. Why? Because it has long been a recognizable way of introducing savings to younger generations. However, our VisualGPS research shows that visualizing personalized technology offerings is also engaging for older generations ‑ a third of Boomers find that apps and online banking makes investing and saving more convenient.
Consumer interest is growing in new ways of saving and investing. Our VisualGPS consumer survey finds that 30% of Europeans strongly believe that traditional banking transactions will be replaced by cryptocurrency in the future. A survey by German fintech N26 found that cryptocurrencies are the most popular investment product amongst all European women aged 18‑24, making it the third most popular investment vehicle after interest‑bearing savings accounts.Choosing visuals with symbols such as coins or currency signs can still portray those investment messages, but financial brands can consider alternative ways to visualize digital currency: for example, simple geometric shapes or graphs which show the ever changing investment environment. 
We have noticed that there is a gender disparity in popular saving and investing scenarios: women are often seen with piggy banks counting their pennies, while men are mostly shown with many banknotes dominating the saving and investment landscape. To move away from stereotypical scenarios, brands need to visualise women having investment knowledge, so think about showing women of all ages investing in the future, whether they appear to be experts or just starting an investment journey.  
 
When choosing visual stories, think about the following points:
  • Are you considering different visual educational scenarios around financial literacy, i.e., better money management? When visualizing these scenarios, think about the elements involving financial literacy, i.e., small businesses, parents teaching children, or seniors managing their pension plans.  
  • Are you showing younger people investing in various ways, i.e., buying their first home? 
  • Are you showing the benefits and rewards of digital convenience? Choosing visuals which show people with authentic, subtle, positive facial expressions to reflect feelings of contentment about the financial choices they have made?
  • Are you considering digital safety by showing clear messages? Consider showing
    vibrant visuals to help expand the knowledge and perception of new financial products.  
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