The Blog
Cumberbatch and Co: A-listers Turned Finfluencers
By Ms Millennial Money, Sarah Penney
Ever Heard of Make My Money Matter? You Should! I recently stumbled upon the Make My Money Matter campaign when I watched their brilliant “Benedict Lumberjack” video, and let me tell you, it was a delightful rabbit hole! I found out they’ve also teamed up with A-listers like Olivia Colman and the Game of Thrones duo, Kit Harington and Rose Leslie, to create some impressively thought-provoking campaign videos. Not your typical finfluencers, but like Pension Attention campaign featuring Gemma Collins, I absolutely love to see financial organisations thinking outside the box to shock and engage.
Feeling a bit out of the loop, I dug deeper into what this campaign group is all about. Make My Money Matter is on a mission to transform our financial system, pushing for a model that puts people and the planet on equal footing with profit. They advocate for the trillions sitting in UK banks and pensions to shift from harmful investments to ones that help build a future we can all be proud of.
The team’s clever critiques of greenwashing in the financial services industry are eye-opening, and their videos—starring Hollywood stars—are crafted to really make you think.
The first video, published a year ago, stars Kit Harrington and Rose Leslie, in couples therapy, with Rose expressing her frustration that Kit doesn’t publicly show his love. The twist? She’s playing the role of the oil company, while Kit represents the high street bank pretending to support green energy. It’s brilliantly written and deserves way more than its 100k+ views!
Then there’s Olivia Colman, or “Oblivia Coalmine,” who sarcastically thanks us for helping the fossil fuel industry continue its destructive work. She thanks us for the investment into our pensions, which have helped the industry to ‘dig, dril and destroy more of our planet than ever before’, as well as enabling them to build ‘a few little wind turbines to keep Greta and her chums happy’. A brilliant piece of acting, obviously, and more really clever script writing – top-notch.
Last but not least is Benedict Cumberbatch’s recent instalment, where he transforms into the villainous Benedict Lumberjack, sitting in a sauna and thanking us for lighting up the deforestation business. With his chilling closing line, “burn baby burn,” this one hits home hard!
I wish I had come across Make My Money Matter before. I have recently moved my pension to Pension Bee and made sure I’m morally ok with the investments I’m making, but I may have acted sooner. These campaigns are not just entertaining; they’re chilling and thought-provoking, urging viewers to reflect on how their money is invested. They effectively tackle the challenging task of getting people to engage with their financial futures and consider the impact of their investments.
Personally, the original video remains my favourite! The chemistry between Rose and Kit is fantastic, and the couples therapy angle is pure genius.
So, check out this important campaign, share your favourite with your friends, and encourage them to not just think about where their pensions are invested, but to engage fully and inspire change. It’s time for us all to ensure our money is making a positive difference!