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BNZ embraces etymology to make a point about mortgages

When creating a marketing campaign, “death” and “pledge” are in the list of ‘words to avoid’, unless you want your customers to think they are being locked into something sinister. But BNZ and Colenso BBDO have purposefully pulled these unused words out of the hat to create a new meaning for mortgages across a technical campaign.

Harnessing the shock power of these words, three 15-second TVCs explain that ‘mort-gage’ means ‘death-pledge’, which, we assume, until now has been an inside joke for bankers who know their Latin and medieval history.

“Death Pledge is a really interesting way to start a conversation. So simple, yet totally unexpected,” says Colenso BBDO’s creative chairman, Nick Worthington. “We were really surprised that almost no one knows the origin of the word mortgage and what it actually means. Which seems crazy as we’ve all signed up to one. Good on for BNZ doing something about it and helping their customers.”

Each TVC puts the words front and centre, in a medieval inspired font made with digital effects to look like circling crows, chilly ice and ink in water. The words then words disperse to reveal a brighter scene of sunnier skies with a kite in one and clear water with a ruby ducky in another. All videos include a call to action in the form of a new web address. 

To continue this sunny-side up message, the website made to complement this advert has a blue sky background. Goodbyemortgage.co.nz, lets visitors work out for themselves how much time and money they can save on their home loan, by choosing a tailoring it to their needs.

The online calculator and website utilises the functionality of BNZ’s online banking platform and shows the bank’s confidence in its customers to make informed decisions, with all the information they need upfront. 

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