ANZ Bank: Pocket Money
ANZ Bank wanted a campaign to highlight the gender pay gap, a critical issue impacting financial equality. The challenge was to create widespread awareness and provoke a national conversation among adults about this systemic inequality. They sought an innovative approach to expose the absurdity of unequal pay, aiming to position ANZ as a brand committed to fairness and social change. The desired outcome was significant media attention and public engagement.
Creative Idea
ANZ paid boys more than girls for identical chores in a filmed social experiment.
The campaign conducted a social experiment where boys and girls were given the same chores but boys were paid more for the exact same work. The children's genuine shock and confusion at the unfair pay vividly exposed the absurdity of the gender pay gap, challenging adults to question why such inequality is tolerated in society. It effectively used innocent reactions to highlight a systemic issue.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
ANZ, as a leading financial institution, has the authority and platform to address significant financial inequalities. They could credibly initiate a public conversation about economic fairness.
Category
The finance category typically promotes individual financial growth or services, often avoiding direct engagement with systemic social inequalities. This campaign broke from the norm by tackling a deep-seated societal issue.
Customer
The audience often feels the gender pay gap is a complex, abstract issue. Seeing children react with pure indignation to unfair pay made the issue simple, relatable, and emotionally resonant, tapping into a universal desire for fairness.
Culture
The campaign landed amidst increasing global dialogue and activism around gender equality and pay equity. There was a growing cultural appetite for brands to take a stand on social justice issues, making the timing impactful.
Company
ANZ, as a leading financial institution, has the authority and platform to address significant financial inequalities. They could credibly initiate a public conversation about economic fairness.
Category
The finance category typically promotes individual financial growth or services, often avoiding direct engagement with systemic social inequalities. This campaign broke from the norm by tackling a deep-seated societal issue.
Strategy:
Leverage children's reactions to expose the gender pay gap's absurdity, making financial inequality undeniable for a fairness-seeking culture.
Customer
The audience often feels the gender pay gap is a complex, abstract issue. Seeing children react with pure indignation to unfair pay made the issue simple, relatable, and emotionally resonant, tapping into a universal desire for fairness.
Culture
The campaign landed amidst increasing global dialogue and activism around gender equality and pay equity. There was a growing cultural appetite for brands to take a stand on social justice issues, making the timing impactful.
Strategy:
Leverage children's reactions to expose the gender pay gap's absurdity, making financial inequality undeniable for a fairness-seeking culture.
Strategy Technique
Attack a Cultural Blind Spot
The campaign directly challenged the quietly accepted absurdity of the gender pay gap. It forced adults to confront a systemic inequality often rationalized or ignored.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Conduct an Experiment
The campaign literally conducted a social experiment, paying boys more for the same chores as girls. This vividly exposed the absurdity of the gender pay gap through innocent reactions.
Explore Technique
