NerdWallet’s mini-musical, set in 2074, offers comic financial warnings from future you
Deutsch LA campaign, directed by Jim Jenkins, time-travels to when millennials and Gen Zers will be elderly

Editor's Pick
You’ve got the next 50 years to make the right financial choices. But will you?
Deutsch LA’s new campaign for NerdWallet features an amusing short musical in which millennials and Gen Z are presented with “future you”—the you of 2074—who outline their myriad financial regrets in song. They’re particularly pissed off at you for not making the right choices early in life, when you had the chance. And now they’re stuck working into their old age, and haven’t enjoyed their golden years at all.
The musical was directed by Jim Jenkins.
Bitterness is a tricky tone to pull off in advertising, but this work threads the needle nicely and is based on a real insight—with 86% of Americans in a recent Harris poll saying there is some financial action they wish they would’ve taken sooner in life.
There are also nice details throughout—the futuristic video screens, the guy’s random little dance at 1:07—that keep things from feeling too bleak. It’s also nice to see the older ensemble cast in action, including Susan Berger of “Jury Duty” and Patricia Belcher of “Community,” even if the grumpiness sometimes veers into old-person caricature territory.
The spot broke on Christmas Day during NFL and NBA games and will continue to run across broadcast, OTT digital and social channels. It’s supported by a selection of shorter ads.
Credits
- Date
- Jan 03, 2024
- Client :
- Nerdwallet
- Agency :
- Deutsch LA
- VP Brand Marketing :
- Alison McGlone
- Senior Director Brand Creative :
- Rob Nikzad
- Director Brand Marketing :
- Erin Albertson
- Manager Brand Marketing :
- Dayna Garwacki
- Creative Director Brand Creative :
- Chloe Dalby
- Manager Content Strategy :
- Justin Sanders
- Co-Chief Creative Officer :
- Ryan Lehr
- Creative Director :
- Carly Blitz
- Creative Director :
- Max Pollack
- Sr. Copywriter :
- Bryce Pangman
- Sr. Art Director :
- Chad Corbin
- EVP Head of Production :
- Diego de la Maza
- Senior Producer :
- Maddie Gorman
- VP Music Director :
- Chip Herter
- Music Supervisor :
- Will Eichler
- Music Coordinator :
- Sacha Garcia
- EVP Managing Director :
- Adam Graves
- Account Supervisor :
- Carol Carlos
- Account Executive :
- Emilia Mancuso
- SVP Group Strategy Director :
- Amanda Shapiro
- Strategy Director :
- Erin Schlissel
- Executive Business Affairs Manager :
- Biba Glaser
- Business Affairs Manager :
- Miranda Baylor
- VP Corporate Communications Lead :
- Camila Crews
- Production :
- O Positive
- Director :
- Jim Jenkins
- Executive Producer :
- Ralph Laucella
- Executive Producer :
- Marc Grill
- Executive Producer :
- Ken Licata
- Head of Production :
- Devon Clark
- Producer :
- Philip Fyfe
- Edit :
- Whitehouse Post
- Editor :
- Brian Gannon
- Assistant Editor :
- Lauren Jansen
- Producer :
- Katrina Kuss
- Producer :
- Lynne Mannino
- EP :
- Joanna Manning
- Finishing/VFX Production :
- Parliament
- VFX Supervisor/Creative Lead :
- Nathan Kane
- Creative Lead :
- Tony Petitti
- Creative Team :
- Adam Deutsch
- Creative Team :
- Ashley Thomas
- Creative Team :
- Dan Adams
- Creative Team :
- Eric Schrecongost
- Production Team :
- Mario Kotevski
- Production Team :
- Nora Brosnan
- Production Team :
- Will Jellicorse
- Color :
- Trafik
- Senior Colorist :
- Mark Gethin
- Assistant Colorist :
- Taylor Pool
- Head of Production :
- Greer Bratschie
- Music :
- Butter
- Executive Creative Director :
- Tim Kvasnosky
- Executive Producer :
- Annick Mayer
- Senior Producer :
- Stone Irr
- Music Coordinator :
- Kriston Poindexter
- Lyricist :
- Amanda Green
- Mix :
- Lime
- Executive Producer :
- Susie Boyajan
- Producer :
- Cassie Underwood
- Mix & Sound Design :
- Matt Miller
- Audio Assistant :
- Ian Connie
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