• by Danielle Oster , September 9, 2024

Northwestern Mutual is attempting to reach Americans anxious about navigating confusing economic times with a brand promise to deliver “A Better Way To Money.”

The campaign ads, running across streaming and social media channels, show series of scenarios demonstrating how Northwestern Mutual can help with financial planning for small businesses and families, leading into the message, “See the difference the right advisor makes” and the new “A better way to money” tagline.

The campaign was informed by “a year of qualitative and quantitative research” to inform its strategy.

"Our research shows that 75% of Americans say they may be missing something important when it comes to their financial plan and nearly the same percentage of people feel like they can do better when it comes to their finances," Northwestern Mutual CMO Lynn Teo said in a statement, citing “Northwestern Mutual Consumer Financial Blind Spots” research from February 2024.

The company is also introducing a new visual brand identity with the campaign, which will appear on its website, social channels; and in influencer content, and local print, paid, and digital ads. The optics feature “refreshed hues of sky and navy blue, yellow, white and off-white, a contemporary photographic style, hand-drawn visual elements and a proprietary font,” according to an announcement.

Additionally, the campaign includes a sizable content marketing component with“A Better Way To Money” podcast, which will unfold across eight episodes featuring Northwestern Mutual and other industry experts, as well as pop culture figures, including an episode featuring comedian and social media influencer Kat Stickler, who boasts more than 12 million followers. Stickler’s episode explains how she's planning for her own financial future as a single mother and entrepreneur who recently purchased a home. Other episodes will focus on “relatable” topics like negotiations when taking on a new job, the gig economy and “financial intimacy,” per the company

Northwestern Mutual is one of a number of brands in the sector to introduce  messaging and ad campaigns centered around financial literacy -- or what some in the financial services industry have called “financial wellness” to combat financial anxiety and confusion, including Ally’s “Money Roots” campaign and its recent partnership with mediation app Calm, and NerdWallet’s “Fact Check Your Finances” campaign.