Banks keep saying they understand us. Monzo shows us it does. Its campaign, Money Never Felt Like Monzo, by Uncommon Creative Studio, the UK digital bank’s first in five years uses graphic comparisons to symbolise the negative and stressful feelings people have around money and how Monzo can make them better. In the 60-second hero commercial, frustrated arguments become loving embraces, and tarantulas turn into head massagers, nails on a blackboard become a harpist’s gentle strums, while rowing in a barren lake – and getting nowhere – transforms into relaxing on a sunny beach.
The commercial will run on TV, VOD, cinema and YouTube, having been teased on ITV ahead of its primetime launch during the Britain’s Got Talent ad break. It will also be shown on Channel 4, BVOD, CTV and subscription video throughout spring and summer, and from May 20, key segments from the hero will be cut into 10-second ads, displaying how Monzo turns financial frustrations such as bill-splitting into hassle-free money management.
The comparisons will extend into OOH with images that juxtapose, for example, a broken toilet against a beautiful bird fountain, freezing ice blocks into fluffy slippers. The OOH ads will cover UK cities London, Birmingham, Glasgow and Newcastle, including a takeover of London’s Liverpool Street Station and taxis wrapped with the brand’s signature hot coral hue.
The digital bank will also be taking over the UK’s leading business paper, the Financial Times, on May 14, with a print and digital hot coral wrap. The multi-channel campaign will also be run on radio, podcast, display, search, affiliate and various social channels.
AJ Coyne, Monzo’s VP of marketing commented, “It’s an epic moment for Monzo as we launch our new brand platform, Money Never Felt Like Monzo, with our first ATL campaign in five years. Across the country, money evokes a variety of feelings, usually stress, anxiety, avoidance, however our customers tell us that on Monzo money feels different, so much so that they’re seven times more likely to use the word ‘love’ when describing us than any other bank. So we are delighted to be painting the UK hot coral and celebrating the fact that money really does feel better on Monzo and look forward to inviting the rest of the UK to join our community of over nine million users in our hot coral movement.”
,Nils Leonard, co-founder of Uncommon Studio added, “Everyone talks about money, but we never talk about how money makes us feel. Monzo isn’t just making things easier and innovating in this space, they are looking at the bigger picture. They are helping to renegotiate our relationship with money, and as a result our lives and dreams. Money feels better with Monzo. We are proud to partner with Monzo, the studio was built for brands that don’t just challenge their categories but change them forever.”
Credits:
Client: Monzo
Creative Agency: Uncommon
Production Company: Ridley Scott Associates
Director: Marie Schuller
Producer: Ben Porter
Director of Photography: Olan Collardy
Photographer: JP Bonino
Stills Production: The Rats
Retouching: Jason Cox & Declan McGurry
Producers: Paul Tobutt & Chris Green
Production Service: Camino Films
Post Production & VFX: Rascal
Colourist: James Bamford
Editorial: Whitehouse Post UK
Editor: Marie Schuller
Music Sound: Soundtree
