How NerdWallet tackles changing consumer behaviors in new campaign

As the new year gets underway, consumers are tackling their financial goals in different ways as a result of the changes brought on by COVID-19 and the current economic climate. In a new campaign, NerdWallet aims to help them with these changes as it strives to provide financial advice and education to its customers.
“New Money Goals,” the brand’s current campaign created with longtime agency partner Argonaut, markets NerdWallet as a provider of tips for answers to getting auto insurance “to match that new zero mile commute,” or help refinancing a mortgage. The campaign debuted late last month.
Kelly Gillease, chief marketing officer at NerdWallet, says the push was inspired by what the San Francisco-based brand was hearing from consumers wishing to be more in control of their finances as a result of the turmoil of last year.
“There’s a new mentality around being smarter, being more resilient, less willing to sit and hope everything would work itself out,” says Gillease, speaking on the latest episode of the “Marketer’s Brief” podcast. “This new mentality is all about action—‘What can I do to change things?’”

Kelly Gillease, CMO of NerdWallet.
NerdWallet is looking at new marketing channels as a way of reaching younger consumers who have different financial needs than previous generations after watching their parents suffer through the 2008 recession.
“We saw a lot more, particularly millennials, interested in investing in the stock market,” says Gillease. “They’ve been saving money and having good financial discipline and saw a lot of the stock market volatility was maybe a good time to start.”
In the coming months, NerdWallet will continue to invest in brand advertising, custom content activations, podcasts and its YouTube channel. It’s also focusing on changing behaviors, like the reemergence of travel following COVID-19 vaccines, as a consumer need that can be adapted into the brand’s creative marketing.