Yet, in the race to drive conversions or launch the next product, many brands fall into traps that put clarity, compliance, and customer trust at risk.

Here are the top five mistakes we see financial brands make — and what to do instead.

1. Using jargon that alienates the audience

While financial products often require technical language, using industry jargon without explanation creates distance rather than confidence. When a customer reads about an “ISA allowance”, “APR spread” or “structured note” and has no idea what it means, they are more likely to disengage or feel overwhelmed.

What to do instead:

Prioritise plain English. Use visuals and microcopy to explain key terms, especially during onboarding or sign-up flows. Customers should feel empowered, not excluded, by your content.

2. Hiding essential information in footnotes

There is a fine line between persuasive marketing and regulatory disclosure. Many financial brands try to keep pages looking clean by pushing important terms into the smallest font, tucked beneath asterisks or clickable “Ts and Cs”. This approach may technically comply but rarely builds trust.

What to do instead:

Be upfront about risks, fees and conditions. Use interactive design to present important information clearly without overwhelming the layout. Transparency builds long-term credibility.

3. Ignoring compliance during the creative process

Often, marketing teams develop campaigns first and then run them by compliance — leading to last-minute rewrites, delays or rejected assets. This approach stifles creativity and creates friction between departments.

What to do instead:

Involve compliance from the start. Better yet, work with creative partners who understand regulated industries. At Animara Studios, we integrate compliance considerations into every stage of the animation and design process, reducing bottlenecks and producing campaigns that are both engaging and regulation-ready.

4. Overloading users with too much information at once

From Know Your Customer (KYC) steps to consent forms, financial products require more upfront input than other services. But presenting everything on a single screen or in a dense paragraph causes fatigue and drop-offs.

What to do instead:

Break content into digestible steps. Use progressive disclosure — revealing only what’s necessary at each point in the journey. Animation and motion design can play a powerful role in guiding users through complex processes with clarity.

5. Failing to build emotional connection

Finance can be emotional — from buying a first home to protecting a family’s future. Yet many brands default to overly clinical or formal messaging, missing the opportunity to build human connection.

What to do instead:

Tell stories. Use animation, case studies and human-centred narratives that reflect real customer experiences. When people see themselves in your message, they are more likely to trust your product.

Final Thoughts

Marketing financial products is about more than ticking regulatory boxes. It is about designing content and experiences that respect both the rules and the people they are made for.

At Animara Studios, we help financial brands bring their ideas to life through compliance-aware animation and UX content. If you’re looking to simplify complexity and inspire trust, we’re here to help.

Contact us today for a free discovery call.