Invesco QQQ is an exchange-traded fund that tracks the Nasdaq-100 Index™ and features Apple, Google, Microsoft, and more.
Challenge
Financial literacy is a critical skill for young people, one which is often overlooked and rarely taught in any formal setting. As the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) official sponsor, Invesco QQQ wanted to create a game-changing experience that would provide college students from all socio-economic backgrounds with lasting knowledge to help them develop healthy financial habits.
In order to provide financial education to an underserved audience, Invesco QQQ partnered with GP Strategies (formerly LEO Learning) and PRELOADED. Together, they identified key priorities to ensure the success of the project:
- Speaking to an audience with varied knowledge—from zero financial literacy to aspiring Warren Buffetts
- Balancing an experience that is fun and engaging, while grounded in educational content
- Creating an educational resource that is appealing to individuals from diverse backgrounds
- Establishing a trusted voice in financial education, in a digital world where students lack a sense of truth
- Using game mechanics informed by learning behaviors to enable real-world behavior change
Solution
“How Not to Suck at Money” (HNTSAM) is a free-to-access, fin-ed game that offers an interactive and immersive learning experience based on real-life financial scenarios. The story-narrative gameplay explores a series of financial dilemmas, underpinned by an applied learning framework that drives real-world impact.
Players navigate through a 3D, semi-surreal college town tackling various financial dilemmas as they learn about budgeting, student loan management, and more.
Every element of the game was informed by in-depth market research, which involved gathering insights from college students. This enabled the team to shape gameplay that reflects the most effective mode of learning, appropriate vernacular, and an art style which resonates with the target audience.
To measure its impact, extensive data tagging was implemented, which includes capturing players’ decisions within the game. This enables Invesco QQQ to gain insights into how users are engaging with the game and how to best scale development over time, ensuring that the game continues to be a valuable resource for new generations of students.
To build something like this doesn’t take a village; it takes a town—of wonderfully talented, passionate people. Please take a moment to learn more about How Not to Suck at Money, the official financial education program of the NCAA.
Emily Pachuta, Chief Marketing & Analytics Officer for the Americas at Invesco
Results
HNTSAM was first soft launched in November 2021, and then officially launched in March 2022. Since its launch, the team has added a new environment and four new scenarios and characters, which introduce learning modules based on cryptocurrencies, identity theft, credit scores, and budgeting while self-employed.
More than 271,000 students have played the game, with 90% of them reporting that they found it helpful and insightful. After playing the game, 91% of the students felt more informed, confident, and knowledgeable about managing their finances.
“We want to give [students] a tool that they don’t have available today… only 1 of out 10 students have access to financial education as part of high school or college curriculum. We’re trying to fill that gap and provide information and financial education in a way that’s very current and relevant to them.
Anna Paglia, Global Head of ETFs and Indexed Strategies at Invesco
HNTSAM has won 20 awards including the top prize at the 28th Annual FCS Portfolio Awards, Silver at The Learning Awards for “External Learning Solution of the Year 2023”, and Silver at Learning Technologies Awards 2023 for “Best Learning Game.”
