The MythBuster Challenge

Objective

Klarna, a UK fintech company, faced significant public misconceptions and negative online sentiment about its business practices and brand identity. Targeting consumers aged 25–44 (14 million existing users and skeptics), the company launched this campaign to directly address seven key myths—from accusations of being a scam to concerns about targeting vulnerable millennials—and rebuild consumer trust in the brand.

Solution

Klarna created an immersive campaign pairing physical art installations with an interactive digital experience. Spanish artist Ignasi Monreal designed seven large-scale murals installed across London, Manchester, Liverpool, and Birmingham. Each mural featured a QR code linking to mythbusterchallenge.com, where players engaged with seven myth-busting challenges—interactive games embedded within each artwork's visual elements. Players uncovered hidden facts and misconceptions by solving puzzles within the paintings, then answered quiz questions. Completion of all seven challenges entered participants into a prize draw featuring luxury hotel stays and charitable donations. Partners included creative agencies Motel, Bountiful Cow, and Kinetic, plus PR firm TRACE Publicity.

Results

The four-week campaign in May 2021 generated 160,000+ visits with 45,000 participants completing all seven challenges, increasing trust in the brand from 58% to 67% and boosting positive sentiment by 52% throughout 2021. Klarna's mobile app experienced a 7.3% increase in monthly active users from May to July 2021, and the campaign won the Advertising category at The Drum Awards for Marketing 2022, plus recognition as Awwwards Site of the Day and FWA of the Day.