Mastercard’s new digital tool for Ukrainian small businesses in Poland wins Creative Data Grand Prix

McCann Poland’s purpose-driven campaign for Mastercard aimed at helping Ukrainian small- and medium-sized enterprises set up shop in Poland won the Creative Data Grand Prix at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity on Wednesday. “Room for Everyone” follows the surge of Ukrainian refugees to Poland as a result of the Russian invasion. Many of these displaced individuals are looking to restart their lives and set up businesses, accounting for 10% of all new establishments that open in Poland. This entrepreneurship has given rise to a rivalry between Polish and Ukrainian business owners, threatening to worsen relations between the two groups. Cannes Lions coverage See all of the Grand Prix winners here Top 5 Grand Prix campaigns Mastercard set out to devise a solution built on its access to data. The credit card giant gathered and anonymized information on local spending trends, foot traffic, real estate and more—it even sourced data from partners including Polish telecommunications provider Orange Polska—to illustrate where potential businesses in the area would have the best chances of thriving. A free digital tool, dubbed “WhereToStart,” combines this information with an interactive UI accessible on mobile and desktop devices. Data included details such as which businesses tend to do well as neighbors. For example, Mastercard found that barber shops attract more clients when located next to restaurants, and bookshops see better success when located next to jewelers. These insights further invited a sense of camaraderie, not competition, between Polish and Ukrainian business owners. “Room for Everyone” is the sequel to a mobile application that Mastercard developed last year, which helped Ukrainian refugees find places to live in Poland. The “WhereToSettle” app from Mastercard and McCann Poland won the Grand Prix for Sustainable Development Goals and a Titanium Lion at Cannes in 2023. Gold winners Three other campaigns won Gold in Creative Data: 40 under 40 entries are open The final deadline for nominations is Aug. 2 Enter here

Mastercard’s new digital tool for Ukrainian small businesses in Poland wins Creative Data Grand Prix

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