WORK FOR GOOD CUT - ALTERNATIVE

The Parental Leave Mortgage - Nordea
Financial

Shortlist

Title:	The Parental Leave Mortgage
Brand:	Nordea
Product/Service:	Financial
Client:	Nordea
Agency:	NORD DDB
Creative Director:	Simon Higby
Release Date:	2024-04-19
Individual Credits:	Andreas Dahlqvist, CEO & CCO
Individual Credits:	Niels Hjorth-Larsen, Copywriter
Individual Credits:	Kristian Skjoldborg, Art Director
Individual Credits:	Kalle Wallin, Creative Director
Individual Credits:	Tim Fremmich Andresen, Creative Director
Individual Credits:	Jesper Sommer Schjølin, Strategy Director
Individual Credits:	Markus Malmberg, Copywriter
Individual Credits:	Kai Heinonen, Production Art Director
Individual Credits:	Tuija Elovaara, Project Director
Individual Credits:	Lauri Ferrer, Client Director
Individual Credits:	Pernila Berg, Client Director
Individual Credits:	Maaretta Kalliokoski, Marketing Lead Finland
Individual Credits:	Tiina Leppänen, Marketing Partner
Individual Credits:	Jan Bonnevier, Head of Marketing and Creative
Notes for Judging:	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. Five years ago, Finland passed a law giving each parent 160 days of parental leave. But today, only 12% of parental leave days are taken by men, with one in five Finnish fathers not using their leave at all. The main reason is financial: in Finland, parental leave isn’t fully paid, and the highest earner receives at most 70% of their salary. With one of the EU’s biggest gender pay gaps and high mortgage costs, families often rely on the full wage to cover their bills. As a result, the higher earner (often the man) stays at work to maintain financial stability. This reinforces traditional gender roles and places a lasting burden on women’s earnings and careers, while also limiting fathers’ vital role in taking part in early caregiving. The Parental Leave Mortgage turned a financial service into a tool for social change. It helps solve a real, systemic inequality with a simple, scalable idea. The idea was to launch a completely new product - a redesigned mortgage for new parents - that removed a structural barrier to equal parenting in Finland. The idea reimagined how creativity can help big financial companies move from just marketing to ideas that communicate simply by existing. It showed the entire banking industry that they have the power to create change through innovation. Because sometimes the best solution isn’t an ad. It’s an action.