Westpac NZ, Saatchi & Saatchi NZ and Spark Foundry NZ present ‘House of Credit Card Fears’

Westpac NZ and Saatchi & Saatchi NZ have teamed up to launch ‘Fear-Free Credit’, a horror-inspired campaign designed to show young people that credit cards don’t need to be scary. With media led by Spark Foundry NZ, and Digitas NZ leading the customer experience, the campaign challenges audiences to ‘face their credit fears’ and introduces Westpac’s expert guidance and tools to overcome them.

Central to the campaign is the House of Credit Card Fears, a pop-up immersive experience where each unsettling room embodies a different credit-card fear. At the end of the journey, visitors step into the Fear-Free Zone, where Westpac’s six steps to responsible credit help transform fear into confidence - empowering them to build a healthy credit score.

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 personalised experience for every individual who chose to face their credit fears.”

Read more about the work here.