Bank of America: Home Loan Guide
Links
View the Home Loan GuideView the Case Study Video
View the Home Loan site
Launch Date
June 2009Award Category
Website / Financial ServicesOverview
In July 2008, Bank of America purchased Countrywide Financial Corporation and became the largest home lender in the U.S. To differentiate the offering in a crowded arena and take advantage of this new market position, a new brand launch was planned.The home loans environment this brand would be launched into posed significant challenges but also brought with it significant opportunities to stand out. The economic climate was challenging at best. Banks, and Bank of America specifically, had lost significant customer trust. Homeownership had gone from the American Dream to a nightmare in the eyes of the American public.
But there was opportunity in this bleak environment. Even before the economic challenges, getting a loan was a complex and intimidating process for most buyers. There was plenty of information out there, but most of it was confusing, poorly presented and disorganized. The tools and calculators that existed lacked context, providing little or no explanations of the inputs and more importantly, lack of clarity on what the outputs meant. Consumers were left to navigate through it all alone, most unable to make an informed decision as a result.
As part of the effort to bring clarity to this process, Organic designed an online Home Loan Guide experience for Bank of America that changes the conversation around home lending. The site guides consumers through the entire loan process, breaking down complex ideas using consumer-friendly language and easy to follow graphics. There’s a shift in approach from providing information in context of how big of a loan consumers can get to how much house they can actually afford. And, instead of having to wade through piles of articles, users are presented with tips, animations and articles that are relevant to the topic they are researching. There are intuitive tools that help consumers gain the confidence they need to engage with a lender. The site’s clear, conversational and easy-to-navigate design gives consumers quick access to relevant information based on their goals and inputs, and provides personalized answers and clarity to the home loan process with an innovative, easy-to-use guided interactive experience.
The Home Loan Guide experience is modular — users can either move through the whole experience end-to-end, or jump in at any point. At the end of each module, users receive a summary that they can print and share with a Mortgage Loan Officer or co-borrower, with their key numbers and tips, next steps, and links for further reading.
The Home Loan site and guide accomplish Bank of America’s primary goal of providing a user-friendly resource for consumers looking to learn more about how to achieve successful home ownership.