The Challenge
Paying for college is one of the most stressful financial conversations a family can have and most people don’t know where to start. Citizens needed to reach parents and college-bound teens with genuinely useful guidance, not product pitches.
The Insight
Talking about money can be uncomfortable. General awareness of student loans isn’t an issue, but many families avoid the college funding conversation entirely until it’s too late to plan well. Addressing that avoidance directly, and making the information feel less intimidating was the goal.
What We Did
We made two animated explainer videos. The first walked viewers through how to pay for college, step by step. The second tackled the money conversation itself, giving parents and teens a framework for having it. Both lived on the Citizens website and YouTube channel as financial education resources, reaching families at the exact moment they needed clarity.
My Role: AD/Designer & CW
How To Pay for College
The College Money Talk
Credits
AD/Designer: Andrew Ralston Smith
CW: Andrew Ralston Smith
Illustrator: Alanna Selbrook
Animator: Katie Covino
