This document provides a creative brief for an advertising campaign for Venmo. The goal is to distinguish Venmo from other payment apps by showing it is the fun way to pay. The target audience is "The Here and Nows" - people who spend money in the moment and share what they do. Currently they see competitors as boring. The campaign wants them to see Venmo as enhancing relationships. The key idea is to show how Venmo connects users by allowing them to share both money and memories. This is supported by how Venmo was created as a social app to make money transfers fun while connecting friends. The tone should be inclusive, entertaining, and rebellious. The headline for a print ad would be "Share everything

1. Prestige Worldwide
Presented by:
Alex Cannon
Michael Clarke
Alexis Gore
Brigeda Hernandez
Savannah Howard
Brianna Hurliman
Allyson Massoud

2. Table of Contents
Our Purpose .......................................................................1
Our Research Story ...........................................................2
The Consumer ................................................................3-6
The Product ........................................................................7
The Category ......................................................................8
The Competition ................................................................9
Our Strategy ...............................................................10-12
Creative Brief ...................................................................13

3. Our Purpose
We are advertising to bring more awareness to the
brand by distinguishing Venmo from other payment
apps. Although widely used by certain demographics,
there is an opportunity for Venmo to expand its
appeal among mobile wallet users. We want to show
consumers that Venmo is the fun way to pay. Venmo is
the app that can keep up with their fast-paced, on-the-
go lifestyle.
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4. Our Research Story
We began by conducting secondary research which explored the history of
the company, the app and its place in the market, the current ad campaign,
the category, the consumer of the brand and the competitors. We created
a SWOT analysis based on the information we gathered during the
secondary research.
Quantitative research was conducted to: determine the usage of electronic
commerce in young professionals, gain insight for Venmo and its
competitors, identify purchasing intentions of young professionals and
determine the likelihood of usage of money transferring and banking apps.
The research was conducted through Survey Monkey using convenient
sampling. We were limited to distributing the survey to individuals in the
surrounding San Marcos and Austin areas. We targeted individuals who
were under the age of 40, have smart phones and mobile banking apps. We
received 134 responses of individuals who are attending and not attending
college, going into their careers, and individuals who went straight into
the work force out of high school. Our research concluded that there is an
untapped market of young millenials who are unaware of mobile payment
apps.
Qualitative research was conducted to: observe the lifestyle of mobile
wallet users, explore millennials perceptions about mobile wallets, explore
how young professionals spend their disposable income and understand
and define what consumers find appealing about competitors’ services. We
conducted 19 one-on-one interviews, each ranging from 30-35 minutes in
San Marcos, TX and Houston, TX. Each participant was shown the Pony
Up campaign to gauge their individual reactions to the advertisments. The
respondents had to be between the ages of 18 and 34 and had to have used
at least one mobile wallet application. Each respondent was placed into
the correct category based on whether they had less than or more than five
years of experience in the workforce. 2

5. The Consumer
Apps such as Venmo are targeted at a new generation of bankers. According to an article from Connecticut
Banking, Venmo appeals to younger generations because of the social networking aspect it provides. Consumers
view it as a more convenient and reliable way to repay others. It allows the users to transfer money between
their personal bank accounts, regardless of the bank. This is something that most mobile banking apps can’t do.
Mobile money transfer apps have become a threat to traditional banks, since they can reach a larger network of
people.
When it comes to banking, there is a big difference in what certain generations value. Generation Y (born in
the 1980s and 1990s) and millennials (born between the 1990s and early 2000s) value convenience and speed
over relationships, while the older generations may value the personal touch that a more traditional banking
experience gives.
According to Paypal’s research, millennials (roughly between ages 18-34) are twice as likely to shop online than
the general population. Fortune.com says Venmo was the third most popular app downloaded last year.
What does the millennial consumer look like? According to marketingcharts.com, the median income for
younger millennials is $25k, while it’s almost double that ($48k) for older millenials. Only 21% of millennials are
married, while 42% of baby boomers were married at the same age. Almost 1 in 4 millennials have a Bachelor’s
degree or higher, making them the most educated generation. millennials are the most ethnically and racially
diverse generation, with 19% being Hispanic, 14% African-American, and 5% Asian.
Millennials are much more likely to be found in urban environments than in suburban areas, breaking away
from the “white picket fence” ideology. The markets with the highest concentration of millennials are primarily
in the western side of the country. Fun fact: Austin has one of the highest concentrations of millennials, making
it a good market for Venmo!
The Venmo consumer shares and spends money with friends. They share cabs, buy each other drinks, cover tabs
when someone’s short, and go out to dinner in large groups. According to Business Insider, this is what makes
the app so appealing. It understands the spending habits of young people, and can make divvying up the tab far
less awkward. If someone doesn’t bring the cash to pay up front, which is common as millennials seldom carry
large amounts of cash, this person can still pay their friend back right away. And instead of bothering someone
to pay you back, which can be awkward, Venmo makes it easy to send a friendly reminder without being too
abrasive.
According to CNN Money, older millennials such as young parents are actually looking to save more money
than previous generations. Since millennials have acquired so much student debt, nearly half of parents in their
early thirties say they want to pay for their children’s college. That’s up from 16% in 2007. Hence the popularity
of the sharing economy and splitting the tab.
Millennials are a thrifty generation. According to a report from CNBC, they spend about a quarter less than Gen
Xers and Baby Boomers, even though they make more frequent purchases and go out more often. Most of their
money goes towards retail and dining, and their knowledge of the web makes it a lot easier to find deals and
discounts. Their income is actually lower than what Gen Xers were making at the same age. There is one thing
millennials outspend older generations on: coffee, which is a reflection of their “on-the-go” culture. Venmo is
perfect from someone running from place to place.
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6. The Consumer
During quantitative
research, we found
that the majority of
respondents were
between the ages of 18-
29.
The majority of respondents
had used Venmo or one of
its competitors.
It is required for the consumer
to own a smartphone or
tablet to be able to use money
transferring apps such as
Venmo.
4

7. The Consumer
From qualitative research, we found that individuals who have
more than 5 years in the workforce and are users of Venmo have a
fast-paced lifestyle.
“My lifestyle is very busy and
active, I am in charge of three
organizations.” (Jamaal ,26,
CPS worker from Houston)
“I would describe my lifestyle
as very fast paced and always
on the go” (Karrington, 20,
Leasing Agent from Houston)
Users of Venmo are more open to friends and others about their
finances.
“I think my financial
information should be
private to most people, but
my friends are different.”
(Estevan, 21, Amazon worker
from San Marcos)
“I don’t think people need to
be involved in my finances.”
(Gina, 23, Teacher from
Houston)
Users found mobile wallets to be easy to use.
The layout of Venmo is self
explanatory.” (Karrington, 20,
Leasing Agent from Houston)
“I think mobile wallets
are a lot more convenient
and easy to use instead of
cash.” (William, 22, Kennel
Technician from Austin) 5

8. The Consumer
Majority of the population are aware of Venmo’s competitions
due to their ads and exposure.
“My card was already linked
in Apple Pay which was really
convenient.” (Tim, 23, Cook
from Houston)
“I use Apple pay because
the app was pre-installed in
my phone” (Kayla, 24, Event
Director from Austin)
The small percentage who do know about Venmo heard of it by
word of mouth.
“ I just recently heard of this app, I didn’t
have change for a friend so she suggested
I send her money through Venmo.”
(Andrew, 21, Sales Associate from
Houston)
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9. The Product
Venmo offers a mobile app for its users to exchange money amongst each
other by linking the app with the user’s bank account and mobile contacts
which recognizes who else has the app, similar to snapchat. This makes it
very simple for people to exchange funds when cash is not readily avail-
able on hand at the time. The app is mostly used by millennials to split tabs
amongst friends or to share roommate expenses. No more IOUs, free to
use.
From our quantitative research we found:
Paypal and Venmo are the most frequently used money transfer apps, both
with 54.39% of respondents using them. On a scale of 1-9 with 9 being the
easiest to use, the majority (38.78%) of respondents gave Venmo a rating of
9. 18.37% of respondents gave Venmo a rating of 1. The majority (71.43%)
of respondents said they would be very unlikely to continue using Venmo if
a transaction fee was charged. Only 2.04% said they would be very likely to
continue using the app. When asked how safe they feel their money is with
Venmo, 1 being not safe and 9 being very safe, the majority of respondents
(20.41%) gave Venmo a rating of 1. 18.37% of respondents rated Venmo as
a 9. Most respondents (67.35%) said they heard of Venmo through word of
mouth.
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10. The Category
From our secondary research we found:
Digital wallets, also referred to as mobile payment, are a sub-system of
electronic money, which allows an individual to make electronic commerce
transactions using a smartphone. PayPal was founded in December 1998.
Bitcoin, the first decentralized digital currency, was introduced as an idea
in 2008. Bitcoin’s worldwide system was released in January of 2009 and
was based on peer-to-peer transactions that are directly between its users.
Bitcoin was an early digital wallet that had no transaction fees and was
accepted by merchants, which allowed users to buy physical goods, not just
online. The same year, Venmo launched their text message-based mobile
payment system, which was later upgraded into a social app. Google Wallet
was released in 2011, followed by the launch of Apple Pay in 2014.
Although the adoption rate of mobile payment apps has been slow due
to security concerns from users and retailers being unequipped with the
right technology, the market is expected to continually grow. By 2017,
mobile payment apps are expected to receive 50% of revenue of all digital
commerce in the United States. According to Forbes, mobile commerce is
expected to grow 42% between 2013 and 2016, while electronic commerce
is only predicted to grow 13%. Millennials became the early adopters of
mobile payment apps because they have grown up with mobile technology.
According to AdWeek, 55% of mobile payment users were within the
age of 18 to 34 in 2014. The industry was worth $3.5 billion in 2013 and
is predicted to be worth $27.5 billion by 2016. Worldwide, the industry
revenue for mobile payment in 2015 was $450 billion and is expected to
reach $1 trillion by 2019.
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11. The Competition
From our secondary research we found:
The traditional competitors of Venmo include Android Pay, Apple Pay, and Popmoney.
Snapcash, Square Cash, and Facebook Messenger are among the non-traditional competitors
in the electronic payment landscape. The largest competitors, Android Pay and Apple Pay, face
limitations, as they are only available on their corresponding smartphones. While comparable
to Venmo, Popmoney charges the user money to make transactions and only works with a small
number of banks. Snapcash, a non-traditional competitor, allows the user to instantly make P2P
transactions through the Snapchat text feature. Square Cash promotes only debit card money
transactions through the app or email. Facebook Messenger launched its own money transfer
service allowing money transfer with debit cards.
Android Pay is a mobile payment app created by Google that stores credit card and debit card
information. The app allows for fast and easy payment in stores or in an app. The app is only
available on android smartphones, but is accepted by numerous companies in stores or in a
specific brand’s mobile app. Android Pay is not worldwide yet. The U.K. was the first country
outside of the United States to adopt this payment system, and was shortly followed by other
countries. Google has released one commercial to promote Android Pay with the slogan “Pay
Your Way.” Google’s app is free and does not charge transaction fees, which is identical to Apple
Pay.
Similar to Android Pay, Apple Pay is a mobile payment system created by Apple that creates an
easier way to pay in stores, in apps, or on the web. Apple Pay stores the credit and debit card
information but never shares the information when making a transaction for a more secure way
to pay. Apple Pay is only available on iOS devices and is available in ten countries including the
United States, with more to be added in the future. Brands that support the Apple Pay feature
have been advertising their support in their own ads. Digital advertising of the app resulted in
a 26% increase in overall transactions according to USA Technologies. Apple released an ad
highlighting the app in the “If it’s not an iPhone” campaign. Apple Pay is free to download and
does not charge transaction fees for the merchants or users.
Popmoney is a peer-to-peer payment service that was created by CashEdge and is now owned
by Fiserv. Unlike Apple Pay or Android Pay, Popmoney charges transaction fees and is not
instantaneous as transactions can take one to three days. Money transactions are taken directly
from the sender’s bank account and sent to the receiver’s bank account. The service provided
by Popmoney is only available in the United States and can be downloaded on any smartphone.
Popmoney has run TV ads as well as running an ad campaign during the holidays, where
the company donated to a nonprofit organization every time money was sent using the app
according to Fiserv. Popmoney is free to download but each transaction costs $0.95, unlike the
competition Apple and Google, which have no transaction fees.
9

12. Our Strategy
Connect with others
by sharing money and
memories.
10

13. Venmo was created to be a
fun, social app that allows
instant money transferring
while connecting friends.
Our Strategy
It’s an easy transition;
life is already social
There is no change for
consumers. We’re adapting
to their lifestyle.
Consumers spend majority
of the day on their phone
Consumers like to share
through social media
11

14. Our Strategy
12
The founders wanted to take
the frustration of money out
of the situation
The social newsfeed promotes
sharing experiences and
memories among friends
Being able to add friends on
the app to share money and
memories with
Consumers like telling
others about their life
Promotes Venmo through
word of mouth between
friends and family

15. Creative Brief
1. WHY IS THIS BRIEF HERE - What is this ad/campaign trying to accomplish?
To distinguish Venmo from the usual apps in the payment category by showing how Venmo is
the fun way to pay.
2. Who are we talking to (Beyond demographics. What is their mindset)?
“The Here and Nows”. The people that spend their money in the moment and share everything
they do.
3. What do they think of us/our product or service now? Our competition and our market
in general?
The Here and Nows think Venmo is just another money transferring app in the industry. They
find competitors to be boring and bland.
4. What would we like them to think?
We want customers to think Venmo can be a relationship enhancer among users.
5. What is the ONE, SIMPLE IDEA that will make them think this way? What do we have,
that the customer wants, that the competition can’t or isn’t giving them?
Connect with others by sharing money and memories.
6. What supports the one, simple sentence (reasons to believe)?
Venmo was created to be a fun, social app that allows instant money transferring while
connecting friends.
7. What is the tone of the communication?
Inclusive: Venmo is a collaborative experience between users that anyone can use and enjoy.
Entertaining: Venmo takes the boredom out of money transferring by allowing users to make
light of a serious aspect of life.
Rebellious: Venmo stands out by being an alternative to the mainstream, cut-and-dry apps in
the payment category.
8. What are the mandatories? (timing, product specs, logo/tagline, client mandates, etc.)
Venmo’s logo and tagline
9. Finally, if you were writing a print ad for this brief what would the headline say?
Share everything.
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