EarnIn

MEDIA CAMPAIGN: PAYDAY MAYDAY

We partnered with EarnIn to raise awareness and generate coverage around the topic of how traditional payday cycles limit financial flexibility. By uncovering real consumer insights, we were able to highlight the everyday impact of outdated systems, and the modern alternatives that can offer Americans greater control over their earnings.

Driving coverage and conversations around America’s payday problem

Our approach

Is it time to rethink payday? This question framed the thinking behind the campaign for financial technology company EarnIn, an organization that specializes in Earned Wage Access which is designed to give customers more control of their pay.

We conducted a Talker Research online poll with 2,000 working Americans, split evenly by generation (500 Gen Z, 500 millennials, 500 Gen X and 500 baby boomers). By asking respondents about their spending habits, pay frequency and how they manage bills, we gathered informative and insightful data for EarnIn, while also building a strong angle for a news story.

Using the results, we were able to calculate the percentage of a paycheck spent by the average American within the first few days of receiving it. And by looking at the age breakdowns in the data, we could identify and compare generational differences. The result? A robust piece of research to fuel a comprehensive media campaign at a time when personal finance and the cost of living was high on the news agenda.

The results

Our research for EarnIn showed how early-month bills hit Americans hardest. The data revealed that the average respondent spends more than a third of their paycheck within the first 12 hours of receiving it. This is especially true for millennials who spend an average of 40% within those first few hours - more than any other group. By 48 hours, for the average American, nearly 48% of their paycheck is spent. Most of the expenditure is on essentials, including bills which are stacked disproportionately early in the month.

The generational data that we collected helped shed light on the negative impact that financial systems have on younger workers, allowing for EarnIn to highlight the differences and comment on the benefits that more frequent access to earnings could have for people.

The research findings really struck a chord. Our team distributed and amplified the story, driving substantial earned coverage and hundreds of thousands of engagements on social media. It proved to be a real talker, and was picked up by regional news outlets as well as USA Today, VICE, Scripps News, Univision, El Diario NY, the New York Post and many more. Check out some of the highlights below…

Content that cuts through

Coverage highlights

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