Municipality of Breda
Making financial stress discussable without stigma
Financial stress is often invisible and more common than people show. National figures reveal that an increasing number of working people struggle to make ends meet. Yet many do not seek help. Shame, fear, and uncertainty hold them back. Asking for support can quickly feel like admitting failure.
For the Municipality of Breda, this presented a clear challenge: how do you reach this growing — largely invisible — group of people facing financial stress, and give them the space to take that first step towards asking for help?
The behavioural question
What needs to change?
People experiencing financial stress should not only know that support is available, but also dare to acknowledge their concerns and reach out to the municipality. To explore together how those worries can be reduced. The biggest barrier lies in emotion, stress, and self-image. Not in the availability of information.
Our approach
We start from behavioural insights. When people face financial stress, their mental bandwidth is often “full,” leading them to postpone decisions and avoid difficult conversations. Shame reinforces this effect.That’s why the first campaign centres around the narrative: “Financial stress. How big is it for you?” An approach that normalises financial worries. Because it’s something that can happen to many people.
The communication strategy was designed as a multi-year approach, spanning three years. Reducing financial stress requires long-term commitment. That’s why we developed a series of campaigns and interventions that continuously reach out to the target group, keep the conversation open, and encourage people to get in touch when needed. In these campaigns, strategy, behavioural insight, and creativity come together. So that every expression creates recognition, lowers stigma, and makes the step towards contact as small as possible.
For the creative execution, we collaborate with creative agency Goedzooi.
What this set in motion
The campaign shifts the conversation from guilt and shame to recognition and possibility. People feel less alone in their worries and are gradually invited to consider seeking support.
Communication does not position itself as the solution, but as an open door. A continuous invitation to start the conversation when someone feels ready.
Sounds familiar?
Are you working on a societal challenge where behaviour is held back by emotion, stigma, or stress, and where change requires more than a single campaign?
Read how we approach Societal Impact, or schedule an introduction to explore your challenge together.
