Mastercard: Room for Everyone - Where to Start
Mastercard tasked McCann Poland to address rising social tension and perceived economic competition in Poland following the Ukrainian refugee influx. The goal was to foster economic integration and support small and medium-sized entrepreneurs, particularly Ukrainian, by providing a practical solution for business growth.
Creative Idea
Mastercard used data to help Polish and Ukrainian businesses find optimal locations.
Mastercard launched "WhereToStart," a free digital tool leveraging anonymized spending data, traffic, and noise levels to help Polish and Ukrainian entrepreneurs find optimal locations for new businesses, fostering economic integration and positive sentiment amidst the refugee crisis.
Turning Data into a Neighborhood Peace Treaty
The Algorithm of Complementary Commerce
At the heart of the production was a sophisticated data model that redefined the concept of competition. Instead of identifying rival businesses to avoid, the WhereToStart.com algorithm used anonymized Mastercard spending trends and Orange Polska mobile traffic to find "complementary" neighbors. The tech suggested that a bookstore should open next to a jewelry store, or a beauty salon next to a restaurant, proving that new businesses drive foot traffic rather than stealing it. This democratized high - level location intelligence - typically reserved for giants like McDonald's or Starbucks - for small - scale entrepreneurs.
Shifting the National Sentiment
The campaign addressed a volatile cultural tension in Poland, where 1 in 10 new businesses were being opened by Ukrainians. By providing a tool that required no registration to protect refugee privacy, Mastercard saw 12,000 users in the first month alone. More importantly, the initiative moved the needle on social cohesion: positive sentiment toward Ukrainian entrepreneurs rose by 10 percentage points, with 55% of Polish business owners agreeing that their new neighbors benefited the local economy.
From Housing to Livelihoods
This initiative served as the strategic successor to the "Where to Settle" platform. While the first phase focused on the immediate humanitarian need for housing, Marta Życińska and the team at McCann Poland recognized that long - term integration required economic agency. To capture this transition, director Tomasz Okulicz of Dynamo Film filmed real Polish business owners who actively welcomed Ukrainian entrepreneurs, turning a data - heavy utility into a human story of shared prosperity. The platform launched in Polish, Ukrainian, and English, ensuring no barriers to entry for those looking to rebuild their lives.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
Mastercard leveraged its anonymized spending data and commitment to social impact to create a valuable business location tool.
Category
The financial services category typically focuses on transactions; this campaign provided a free, data-driven utility for business development.
Customer
Polish and Ukrainian entrepreneurs needed help finding optimal business locations amidst refugee influx and perceived economic competition.
Culture
The cultural context of the Ukrainian refugee crisis in Poland created social tension and a need for economic integration solutions.
Company
Mastercard leveraged its anonymized spending data and commitment to social impact to create a valuable business location tool.
Category
The financial services category typically focuses on transactions; this campaign provided a free, data-driven utility for business development.
Strategy:
Mastercard built a data-driven tool to foster economic integration between Polish and Ukrainian businesses.
Customer
Polish and Ukrainian entrepreneurs needed help finding optimal business locations amidst refugee influx and perceived economic competition.
Culture
The cultural context of the Ukrainian refugee crisis in Poland created social tension and a need for economic integration solutions.
Strategy:
Mastercard built a data-driven tool to foster economic integration between Polish and Ukrainian businesses.
Results
The Russian Invasion has displaced 1.55 million refugees in Poland, representing a 4% increase in the country's population. With 10% of new businesses opened by Ukrainians, refugees were increasingly seen as competition. However, the 'Room for Everyone' tool saw up to 40% of new business owners use it. This initiative led to a +10% positive sentiment towards Ukrainians, demonstrating that Ukrainian businesses are giving more to Poland's economy than they take, and fostering partnerships between Ukrainian and Polish entrepreneurs.
40%
of new business owners used the tool
+10%
positive sentiment towards Ukrainians
1.55M
refugees displaced in Poland
Strategy Technique
Build an Utility, Not an Ad
Mastercard created a practical, free digital tool, "WhereToStart," to solve a real-world problem for entrepreneurs. This utility directly fostered economic integration and positive sentiment, demonstrating brand values through action.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Unexpected Utility
Mastercard provided a free, data-driven digital tool, "WhereToStart," offering sophisticated business location insights previously exclusive to large companies. This unexpected utility directly addressed a critical need for small and medium-sized entrepreneurs.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
The campaign's exceptional craft lies in the development of a sophisticated, data-driven digital platform combined with masterful data visualization and clear, empathetic multilingual communication, facilitating economic integration through technology.
The development of the 'Room for Everyone' platform as a sophisticated, functional, and user-friendly data-driven tool for business matching demonstrates robust technical and user experience design.
The campaign effectively translates complex analytical output into clear, animated graphics and visual recommendations, making intricate data models accessible and actionable for entrepreneurs within the platform and its messaging.
The concise and empathetic calls-to-action, specifically the dual-language invitations from Polish business owners, and the memorable tagline 'Growing together, not apart: priceless,' powerfully convey the campaign's mission.
The deliberate selection and presentation of typefaces for the multi-language business invitations and key on-screen messages ensure clarity, impact, and cultural appropriateness across the campaign's communication assets.
The seamless integration of the platform's data intelligence, its visual explanation, and precise multilingual messaging creates a truly impactful tool for fostering community and economic growth.
