Westpac NZ turns credit fears into confidence with horror-inspired campaign

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – Westpac NZ, together with Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand and Spark Foundry NZ, has unveiled “Fear-Free Credit,” a bold new campaign that transforms the anxieties of credit card ownership into an immersive and empowering experience.

At the heart of the campaign was the House of Credit Card Fears, a pop-up activation staged in Auckland from September 19–21. Designed as a house of horrors with a financial twist, each room brought to life common credit anxieties — spiraling debt, impulsive spending, and the dread of low credit scores. Participants physically confronted their fears before entering the Fear-Free Zone, where Westpac’s six-step program offered practical guidance on building healthy credit habits.

The initiative leveraged a key cultural insight: Gen Z’s affinity for the horror genre. By using this lens, the campaign turned financial literacy, often seen as intimidating or dull into something engaging and relatable.

Westpac NZ Chief Brand & Marketing Officer Sarah Williams says “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. We wanted to address these fears directly and give them the tools to turn credit from a source of worry into an opportunity.”

Lee Sunter, Executive Creative Director at Saatchi & Saatchi NZ, adds: “Fear-Free Credit came from a strong creative idea: reimagining a house of horrors into an immersive financial experience. Each room was designed to let participants physically walk through their credit-related fears. By tracking their heart rates, we identified their biggest anxieties, allowing us to deliver tailored tips and tools in the Westpac Fear-Free Zone. The result was a personalized experience for every individual who chose to face their credit fears.”

Spark Foundry NZ led media strategy, with pre-activation OOH assets rolled out across key urban areas to raise awareness and drive attendance. In addition, they brought the credit card “fears” to life through Mediaworks radio promotions and tailored content for social and digital, delivering over 7.5 million impressions across Meta, TikTok and YouTube and facilitating a partnership with HOYTS to sponsor their horror genre films from October–December.

Digitas NZ led customer experience, developing a dedicated landing page and revamping the Fee Free Mastercard product page to help 18–29 year olds navigate credit.

A series of short videos will continue to roll out on social channels, highlighting each “fear” and the creative associated with it from the “House of Credit Card Fears.”

The post Westpac NZ turns credit fears into confidence with horror-inspired campaign appeared first on adobo Magazine Online.