Nordea’s name is the combination of two words: Nordic + Idea = Nordea. It’s a reflection of the bank’s Nordic foundation and progressive mindset. Guided by strong Nordic values, the bank is committed to making money work for a more sustainable, equal, and innovative society across its key markets: Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Sweden. Despite laws granting equal parental leave to both parents, a staggering 88% of parental leave days in Finland are still taken by women, while 20% of Finnish fathers don’t use their leave at all. While parental leave is one of the greatest innovations ever made, it still causes systemic inequality in society. Often, the primary earners in families don’t take their share of parental leave due to the mortgage payment burden they often carry. This not only impacts their bond with their child but also sets primarily women back in terms of salary, pensions, and career development.
We saw an opportunity to even things out and suggested a solution to Nordea: The Parental Leave Mortgage—a completely new product that lets parents pause their mortgage payments in full during parental leave. No payments. No fees. No costs. Nothing. By removing the financial burden of monthly payments, this initiative makes it easier for parents to share parental leave more equally.
The campaign created great awareness and impressive response to the offering: - Earned media reached 8.5 million people in the first week – that is 1.5 times the entire Finnish population. - 10,000 families enquired about the product in the first week. - Saving each family an average of €460 per month. Furthermore, the campaign moved the needle on the perception of Nordea in Finland: - “Cares about customers” +200% compared before the launch - “Positive effect on society” +180% compared before the launch - “Innovative” +150% compared before the launch