From Breakroom to Benefit Breakthrough
Costco was set to roll out SmartDollar—a financial wellness benefit designed to help employees take control of their money and build better futures. But a benefit only works if people engage with it. And let’s be honest: money feels personal and overwhelming. It’s not exactly what people want to think about on a 15-minute break.Costco didn’t just need awareness; they needed buy-in. Something bold enough to cut through breakroom noise, overcome hesitation, and spark real action.
- Campaign Design
- Messaging
- Digital Illustration
- Marketing Design
- Merch Design
- Print Design
- Email Design
It Starts With an Open Mind
Costco initially wanted to launch a “Spring Savings Challenge” focused on building an emergency fund. But if the goal was long-term transformation, a seasonal push wasn’t going to cut it. We needed a mindset shift.
So we zoomed out and reframed the whole thing. Instead of starting with complex financial advice, we kept it simple—focusing on how people think about money in the first place. The campaign anchored around a new kind of challenge:
Change the Way You Think About Money.
It was more than a slogan. It was an invitation to start fresh, to believe that change is possible, and to take the first step toward a better future.
Making the Message Impossible to Ignore
To really reach employees, the campaign had to meet them where they were—and stop them in their tracks.
We took over Costco breakrooms with floor-to-ceiling visuals: locker magnets, bold posters, and a 10-foot vinyl floor banner as the undeniable centerpiece.
That banner became the visual heartbeat of the campaign. we used depth and movement to pull people in. Layered mountain ranges framed a winding path leading up to a summit, connecting the idea of progress with purpose. We paired it with a bold, illustration-forward style that felt hopeful, energetic, and approachable. Because big goals feel less intimidating when you can actually see the path forward.
Sparking New Conversations Around Money
To move the needle, we had to make the benefit feel personal. So we spotlighted employees who had already completed SmartDollar, equipping them with custom pins to spark peer-to-peer conversations and show what real success could look like.
SmartDollar follows seven core Baby Steps to help employees reach their financial goals. We distilled that journey into step-by-step visuals that echoed the campaign’s design language. Playful typography and a winding path brought structure and clarity to the message—reinforcing that progress was possible, and the steps to get there were clear.
Creating a Cohesive Narrative That Sparks Action
The web design process began with a clear objective: to transform an outdated and confusing website into a cohesive, user-friendly experience that honored Shalom’s 20+ year history while looking forward to a future full of hope. Addressing the challenge of a cluttered and confusing site, we streamlined the navigation and overall structure to ensure a more intuitive user experience.
From Enrollment to Empowerment
The campaign helped Costco roll out SmartDollar with clarity and confidence—driving enrollment and giving employees the confidence to start their financial journey. But more than that, it made people feel seen. The hopeful visuals and down-to-earth messaging made the benefit feel personal, approachable, and like something their employer genuinely wanted for them, not from them. That sense of care fueled engagement, boosted retention, and reminded employees they were part of something bigger.