Nedbank’s YouthX campaign, had a visibility problem. Students at university open days knew the brand, they'd take the merchandise, look at the stand, but that was usually where the relationship ended. The ask was to turn a single passive moment into something students would actually remember and act on.
The approach
Our research kept pointing to the same gap. Students wanted financial support and guidance but didn't know where to start, and existing banking touchpoints weren't meeting them where they were. That gap was also an opportunity.
We developed "The Base," a student-focused engagement concept built around the idea that Nedbank could be genuinely useful throughout university life, not just during orientation week. The concept blended on-campus activities, gamified rewards, educational content, and social media into a cohesive ecosystem. Students could participate, earn points, and redeem them in ways that connected directly back to Nedbank's YouthX offering. The emphasis throughout was on relevance and a smooth path from engagement to account-opening.
The social media rollout
The content strategy was shaped around how Gen Z actually uses social media, which includes native-feeling posts, platform-specific formats, and a tone that invited interaction rather than broadcasting at people. The goal was to build awareness and excitement around The Base while directing students toward on-campus and in-app activity.
What success would have looked like
Although the concept wasn't selected, it was built around measurable outcomes: social engagement and app sign-ups, challenge completions and on-campus participation, youth sentiment toward the YouthX brand, and ultimately, account-opening rates tied to reward redemption.