A cross-platform, white-label media kit designed to promote financial literacy on college campuses for the DebtWise App.

DebtWise Print & Email Promotion

Role: Lead Designer; Associate VP of Graphic Design

Teams: Content & Copy, Social Media, Graphic Design, and Photo & Video teams at The Agency at Quinnipiac

Client: DebtWise

Timeline: 12 Weeks (2024)

Tools: Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Canva

DebtWise, a financial literacy and debt management app, partnered with The Agency at Quinnipiac to expand its presence in higher education through a white-label solution. As the Lead Designer, I focused on developing adaptable flyers, a multi-page informational pamphlet, and branded social content tailored to university audiences, all while preserving DebtWise’s mission.

These deliverables were part of a larger media kit that also included web and social copy, an FAQ sheet, a landing page, and a promotional video, developed in collaboration with the Content & Copy, Social Media, and Photo & Video teams. The final kit promotes financial wellness among college students and gives DebtWise a scalable, branded system for future campus partnerships.

Summary

The Problem

DebtWise had recently rebranded and was looking to expand its platform into the university space through white-label partnerships. While their app provides essential tools and resources for financial literacy, they lacked a cohesive visual system to promote these features in a way that resonated with college students. Their biggest challenge was reaching and engaging a student audience that is often overwhelmed with financial decisions, including student loans, credit building, and budgeting.

They also needed a marketing system that could be easily adapted to match each university’s branding, while still reinforcing DebtWise’s overall identity. At the time, they had no existing templates or promotional assets, making it difficult to roll out consistent messaging across multiple campuses.

Our Objectives

  • Increasing awareness among college students through relevant, engaging messaging

  • Building a versatile system of materials that could be customized for various university partners

  • Translating financial concepts into visuals that students would actually connect with

  • Establishing DebtWise as a trusted and credible tool for financial education

  • Driving app downloads through clear and effective calls to action

Before design began, we conducted research to understand:

  • Key features and differentiators of the DebtWise platform

  • Best practices for communicating financial topics visually

  • University brand guidelines, focusing initially on the University of Nevada, Reno

  • The design preferences and digital behaviors of Gen Z students

We also pulled design references from platforms like Pinterest to spark layout and formatting ideas.

Discovery & Research

We began with a range of flyer concepts, falling into two core styles:

  • Information-rich designs for areas where students might stop and read more details

  • Visually rich flyers for high-traffic locations for quick, eye-catching messaging

One of our biggest design challenges was presenting dense financial content in a way that still felt engaging. We leaned into visuals of phones and the app interface as something students could recognize and relate to.

During critique sessions, a recurring piece of feedback was that the materials felt too tied to a single university. In response, we expanded the design system by creating mockups for additional universities. This helped the client better visualize how the white-label approach would scale and how each set could feel unique while maintaining a cohesive look.

We also struggled to fit all of the content DebtWise wanted into the flyers. That limitation led to the creation of an informational pamphlet that could carry more in-depth content without overwhelming the viewer.

Ideation & Exploration

  • Promotional Flyers

    Developed multiple flyer styles in both info-rich and visual-first formats

    Created adaptable layouts that could highlight different features of the app

    Built a responsive color system to reflect four distinct university brand palettes

  • Informational Pamphlet

    Designed as a companion to the flyers, offering a deeper look at the platform

    Balanced content density with white space and clean hierarchy

    Included thoughtful structuring to help students navigate complex topics easily

  • Email Templates

    Collaborated closely with the Content & Copy team

    Designed flexible headers and footers customized for each university

    Due to limited access to visual assets, I reworked and modified available images in Photoshop to align with the platform’s look and feel

    Focused on clear CTA placement to drive app downloads

  • Master Templates

    Developed universal black-and-white templates with editable regions

    Equipped the client with a scalable design system for future university partnerships

    Provided documentation to guide in-house customization while preserving consistency

The final deliverables included a cohesive, flexible media kit built for white-label use across universities.

This kit featured:

  • University-branded flyer collections (4 sets)

  • A multi-page informational pamphlet

  • Email templates built for financial aid offices

  • Master design templates and guidelines for scalable implementation

Each piece was crafted to support both physical and digital outreach, helping DebtWise communicate clearly with students while aligning with varied institutional brand standards.

The Deliverables

Flyers:

  • Boston University Template

  • White Label Template

  • University of Austin Texas Template

  • Baylor University Template

  • University of Nevada Reno Template

  • White Label Template

  • University of Austin Texas Template

  • White Label Template

  • University of Nevada Reno Template

  • University of Austin Texas Template

  • Baylor University Template

  • White Label Template

  • Univeristy of Nevada Reno Template

  • White Label Template

  • Boston University Template

  • White Label Template

  • University of Nevada Reno Template

  • White Label Template

Pamphlets:

  • Side 1: University of Nevada Reno

  • Side 2: University of Nevada Reno

  • Side 1: White Label Template

  • Side 2: White Label Template

  • Side 1: Baylor University

  • Side 2: Baylor University

Impact & Outcomes

  • DebtWise now has a ready-to-use media kit that can be quickly adapted and rolled out across current and future university partnerships

  • Created a system that can scale without needing to redesign for each new partner

  • Strengthened trust and credibility with student audiences through consistent messaging and visuals

  • Enhanced app visibility and download potential through targeted marketing assets

  • Client expressed how helpful the final materials were, especially in showcasing adaptability across schools

Key Takeaways

  • Designing for white-label use requires flexibility without sacrificing clarity

  • Balancing multiple brand systems in one cohesive design system is a (challenging) creative opportunity

  • Flyers have limitations, and recognizing when to shift to a more detailed format like a pamphlet can make communication more effective

  • Strategic critiques helped us refine and scale the work in a more thoughtful direction

  • Even with limited visual assets, I found creative solutions using Photoshop to rework and modify imagery in a way that remained professional and aligned with the brand

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