From Financial Friction to Fun: How an Animated Mascot Boosted App Engagement
Transforming abstract financial goals into an engaging visual journey
+55% EXPECTED D1 RETENTION
The Client’s Request
A mobile app developer for Fintech App, EU was looking to humanize their product and dramatically improve user retention. They reached out to us after discovering our work, seeking a friendly, animated assistant to encourage daily logins and build an emotional connection with users.
The Challenge
The app suffered from the common pitfalls of non-game apps: high user churn during the initial onboarding and low intrinsic motivation for routine daily tasks (like checking balances or logging expenses). Without a visual reward or emotional tie, abstract financial goals felt like a chore, leading to a typical FinTech D1 Retention Rate of only 22%.
- High user churn during initial onboarding
- Low intrinsic motivation for daily tasks
- Abstract financial goals felt like a chore
Our Approach
We designed a mascot concept that transformed the user's abstract financial progress into a visually growing asset—the "Money Tree"—leveraging powerful psychological principles of Gamification and the Endowment.
Process Overview
1. Discovery Call & Strategy
We identified key Emotional Interaction Points (success, error, routine) crucial for building habits.
2. Concept Sketches
Developed three mascot concepts (Money Tree, Piggy Bank, Wallet). The Money Tree was chosen for its strong metaphor of cultivation and growth.
3. Animation Scenarios & Production
Defined and approved scenarios for three core emotional states: Happy (Success/Reward), Neutral (Guidance/Instruction), and Sad (Error/Setback).
4. Integration Support
Delivered production-ready Lottie files and advised on integration into the app's gamification logic.
Scope & Budget
|
Element |
Description |
|
Mascot Concept |
The Money Tree, designed to grow and evolve with user activity. |
|
Animation States |
Sad, Neutral, Happy (3 unique, expressive animation loops). |
|
Core Function |
Visual anchor for user progress (analogous to Duolingo's "Streaks"). |
|
Timeline |
10 days |
Tech & Tools
The Results
Our emotional mascot acts as a critical behavioral design mechanism, strategically engineered to positively impact the client's core business metrics, moving them closer to best-in-class engagement benchmarks.
|
Metric |
Expected Impact |
How We Achieved This |
|
Day 1 |
Up to 55% (Best-in-Class Benchmark) |
The "Growing Character" mechanic creates Loss Aversion (fear of losing the tree's growth), providing the daily motivation for return, similar to Duolingo's 55% D1 Streak retention. |
|
Onboarding Drop-off |
25% Reduction |
Our mascot serves as an Emotional Guide. Platforms using mascots in onboarding see a 25% reduction in churn compared to static experiences. (Source: Adobe UX Research). |
|
Task Completion Rate |
30-50% Increase |
The "Happy" animation acts as Positive Reinforcement, driving users to complete routine or complex tasks more often, aligning with proven gamification effects on task completion. |
|
Frustration Tolerance |
Higher User Loyalty |
The "Sad" animation humanizes technical errors or data entry failures, preventing immediate emotional rejection and building trust in sensitive areas like FinTech. |
Client Quote
Thank you for the work really happy with everythign!
Ebubekir Ates
FinTech App, EU
Ready for Results-Driven Design?
Let’s build visuals that not only look great but grow your business.
Book Your Free 30-Minute Consultation
Got it — thanks for reaching out!
We’re excited to hear from you and will get back to you soon.
Until then, feel free to explore our Portfolio.
Talk soon!