Exploring themed rooms based on typical credit concerns.
Westpac NZ has turned to horror in a bid to demystify credit for younger audiences, launching a campaign that reframes financial literacy through the lens of fear.
Created by Saatchi & Saatchi NZ, Fear-Free Credit uses a haunted house-style activation and horror-themed content to highlight common anxieties around credit cards.
The campaign aims to shift perceptions by showing young people how to use credit responsibly.
At the heart of the campaign was the House of Credit Card Fears, a three-day pop-up experience in Auckland that let participants explore themed rooms based on typical credit concerns, including impulse spending and mounting debt.
In the final room, Westpac outlined six steps for managing credit wisely, offering what it calls a path “from fear to confidence”.
“Insights show young people are significantly more credit card-shy than other generations, often because they lack the confidence to manage debt responsibly or use credit to their advantage,” Westpac NZ chief brand and marketing officer, Sarah Williams, said.
“We wanted to address these fears directly and give them the tools to turn credit from a source of worry into an opportunity.”
The activation, which ran from September 19–21 on Durham Lane, also served as a content studio.
Participants’ heart rates were monitored throughout the experience, generating personalised advice delivered at the end of the journey. Photos were shared post-event, encouraging social sharing.
“Fear-Free Credit came from a strong creative idea: reimagining a house of horrors into an immersive financial experience,” executive creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi NZ, Lee Sunter, said.
“Each room was designed to let participants physically walk through their credit-related fears... The result was a personalised experience for every individual who chose to face their credit fears.”
Spur managed the activation, while Spark Foundry NZ handled media, rolling out pre-event out-of-home across key urban sites and driving interest via Mediaworks radio, Meta, TikTok and YouTube, delivering over 7.5 million impressions.
The agency also partnered with HOYTS cinemas to sponsor horror films running from October to December.
Digitas NZ led customer experience, revamping the Fee Free Mastercard page and creating a dedicated landing page aimed at helping 18–29-year-olds better navigate credit.
A series of social videos will extend the campaign’s reach, each tackling a different credit fear with content drawn from the activation.
CREDITS:
Saatchi&Saatchi
CEO: Mark Cochrane
Chief Creative Officer: Steve Cochran
Executive Creative Director: Lee Sunter
Associate Creative Director: Cece Chu
Senior Art Director: Tim Yates
Senior Copywriter: Ryan Price
General Manager: Annabel Rees
Group Business Director: Aaron Hodgson
Business Manager: Jeannie Grace
Strategy Director: Brendan Greenwell
Design Director: Shiv Narandas
Designer: Talia Schofield
Retoucher: Nick Browne
Executive Producer: Jane Mill
Producer: Claudia Duncan
Head of Post Production: Tracy Powell
Senior Editor: Morgan Parish
Westpac
CMO: Sarah Williams
Head of Propositions and Campaigns: Lou Golding
Head of Brand: Nilleema Allerston
Senior Marketing Manager: Allie Buczkowski
Marketing Manager: Georgia Livingstone
Videographer/Photographer: Fraser Clements
Experiential Agency: SPUR
Media Agency: Spark Foundry
Customer Agency: Digitas
