In an industry defined by disruption, why does so much fintech PR still feel so safe?
Scroll through your average fintech press release, and you’ll find buzzwords stacked on jargon — “seamless integrations,” “next-gen payments,” “transformative digital infrastructure.” Yawn. The irony is thick: brands building for the future often market like it’s 2005.
Here’s the truth: in a landscape crowded with copycats and commoditized value propositions, it’s not the slickest PR that stands out. It’s the boldest. The most memorable campaigns often aren’t the glossiest — they’re the ones that shake the system. They surprise, provoke, and, above all,stick.
This is especially true in fintech, where startups challenge centuries-old banking traditions and user trust is hard-won. The best fintech PR mirrors the industry’s roots in rebellion — it breaks rules to rewrite narratives. Here are four campaigns that prove it, and the key lessons they offer for any fintech brand looking to break through the noise.
WePay’s 600-Pound Middle Finger to PayPal
When WePay decided to go toe-to-toe with PayPal, it didn’t just run Google ads or try to out-SEO its rival. It showed up at a PayPal developer conference with a literal 600-pound block of ice, filled with cash, frozen solid.
The message: “PayPal freezes your funds. We don’t.” Their custom URL, UnfreezeYourMoney.com, redirected users to a simple landing page where they could learn more.
It was risky. It was subversive. It was perfect.
The stunt earned coverage in TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and Mashable. Traffic to WePay tripled. Sign-ups surged by over 225%. Perhaps most impressively, the campaign cost under $20,000 — and delivered ROI most fintechs would envy.
Key takeaway: The best stunts aren’t just about spectacle. They deliver a clear message that connects viscerally with user frustration. WePay turned PayPal’s biggest complaint — frozen accounts — into a visual metaphor no one could ignore.
Monzo’s Penny-by-Penny Savings Challenge
At the opposite end of the spectrum is Monzo’s quietly brilliant “1p Savings Challenge.” It wasn’t a stunt in the traditional sense, but it was subversive in how it reframed savings.
The idea was simple: save 1p on January 1, 2p on January 2, 3p on January 3… until you’re saving £3.65 on December 31. If you stick with it, you’ve saved £667.95 by year’s end.
Monzo baked this into its app, with built-in automation through IFTTT integrations. Suddenly, what felt like a silly challenge became a viral behavioral nudge.
The campaign gained traction across Twitter, Reddit, personal finance blogs, and press outlets. Thousands joined. It was user-generated virality with zero media spend.
Key takeaway: PR doesn’t always need press releases. When you give users something to share — something gamified, surprising, or emotionally sticky — theybecome the PR.
Zettle’s Pop-Up Market: Product as Experience
Zettle, then iZettle, took a novel approach to launch in the UK. Instead of a flashy ad campaign, it created a pop-up market for real small businesses to use their mobile payment terminals in front of real customers.
The event had a modest budget — about £25,000 — but resulted in over 80 articles in top-tier publications. Better yet, it created hands-on user experiences and generated a 425% jump in sales and web traffic in the days following.
Here, the product wasn’t described. It was experienced.
Key takeaway: Fintech products can be hard to explain. When you let customers try them in context — and make that experience visible — you shortcut the learning curve and turn it into a story.
Klarna’s House of Y2K (With Paris Hilton, of Course)
When Klarna wanted to deepen its cultural cachet with younger consumers, it didn’t push APRs or partner offers. Instead, it built a full-blown nostalgia playground called “House of Y2K,” curated by none other than Paris Hilton.
Visitors were immersed in throwback aesthetics, early-2000s tech artifacts, and Klarna’s signature pastel pink brand. The event aligned with Klarna’s identity as a “smooth shopping” experience — playful, stylish, and effortless.
The result? 7 billion impressions, a 63% increase in app downloads, and 344 pieces of global press. More importantly, Klarna didn’t sell finance. It soldvibe.
Key takeaway: When you stop trying to talk like a bank and start talking like a brand, culture rewards you. Klarna embraced fun, frictionless commerce — and made people feel something.
4 Rules for PR That Doesn’t Get Ignored
Across these campaigns, four clear rules emerge:
1. Start with emotion, not explanation.
WePay didn’t describe its service. It showed — with ice, cash, and a dare. Klarna didn’t tout UX features; it created an experience.
2. Your product isn’t boring. Your framing is.
Even something as dry as savings (Monzo) or payment terminals (Zettle) can be turned into playful, viral experiences.
3. Be where people don’t expect you.
Hijack conferences. Pop up in marketplaces. Occupy Instagram feeds with nostalgia drops. Zig where others zag.
4. Trust users to tell your story.
The best PR isn’t just earned media. It’s owned and user-generated. Give people something worth posting about.
Fintech is a battlefield. Most startups die quietly, not dramatically. Their fatal flaw? Playing it safe.
PR that plays not to lose — long press releases, dense whitepapers, press events with 20 attendees — won’t earn attention. Certainly not trust. And absolutely not growth.
The best fintech PR understands that to break into someone’s financial life, you must first break through the noise. And that means embracing risk, spectacle, humor, and heart. You don’t have to be outrageous to be memorable. But you do have to be something. And “strategic yet forgettable” isn’t it.
5WPR is a top fintech PR agency.