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Category
Creative Use of Data
Annual ID
OS25_CT016B
Background
Due to the war, millions of refugees from Ukraine have fled to Poland, seeking safety across its borders. We first helped them to settle in Poland, thanks to the Where to Settle tool. Now it’s time to help them with their businesses.
Two years after Russia's armed invasion of Ukraine, approximately 1.5 million Ukrainians remain in Poland. The initial wave of sympathy and support from Polish society gradually began to change, giving way to economic anxieties and social tensions. Concerns about job security and access to public services led to a significant decline in positive sentiment towards the newcomers (Openfield study from 2022-2024). It started debates within communities and among policymakers about the long-term implications of hosting such a large number of refugees.
Mastercard aimed to shift the negative perceptions of Ukrainian refugees by highlighting the positive economic contributions of Ukrainian-owned businesses in Poland.
Two years after Russia's armed invasion of Ukraine, approximately 1.5 million Ukrainians remain in Poland. The initial wave of sympathy and support from Polish society gradually began to change, giving way to economic anxieties and social tensions. Concerns about job security and access to public services led to a significant decline in positive sentiment towards the newcomers (Openfield study from 2022-2024). It started debates within communities and among policymakers about the long-term implications of hosting such a large number of refugees.
Mastercard aimed to shift the negative perceptions of Ukrainian refugees by highlighting the positive economic contributions of Ukrainian-owned businesses in Poland.
Creative Idea
Mastercard as a company believes in “doing well by doing good”, supporting financial inclusion thanks to technology and data that Mastercard delivers. The platform was created by Mastercard to promote better integration and economic growth. Using aggregated and anonymized transactional data, foot traffic, air quality information, and insights into business complementarity, the tool is showing optimal locations where Ukrainian businesses could open next to Polish businesses to the mutual benefit of both. By pairing complementary businesses that could support each other’s growth, such as a restaurant next to a beauty salon, the platform demonstrated and promoted beneficial relationships, showing Ukrainians as valuable economic partners. We are turning competition, something that always scared entrepreneurs into something positive, they should actively seek and support.
Mastercard effectively turned data into a tool for social change, promoting economic cooperation that benefited both local Polish entrepreneurs and Ukrainian refugees seeking new beginnings.
Mastercard effectively turned data into a tool for social change, promoting economic cooperation that benefited both local Polish entrepreneurs and Ukrainian refugees seeking new beginnings.
Insights & Strategy
Data on the perception of Ukrainians in Poland has been collected from various sources, all of which indicate deteriorating attitudes towards refugees. We used existing reports (Openfield Study, 2022-2024) but we also conducted our own study among microentrepreneurs, in which we asked people who had no contact with the tool how they viewed the situation related to Ukrainian businesses. Then we also asked people who had contact with the tool to examine what impact the tool had on their perception of Ukrainian entrepreneurs.
Before starting to design the tool, we also conducted qualitative research (interviews) with micro-entrepreneurs to examine the way they make decisions about the location of their business, in which we identified different approaches to this challenge and tailored the final solution to users' needs. Thanks to this study, we also knew who to target with the tool and how to create a campaign to promote it.
Before starting to design the tool, we also conducted qualitative research (interviews) with micro-entrepreneurs to examine the way they make decisions about the location of their business, in which we identified different approaches to this challenge and tailored the final solution to users' needs. Thanks to this study, we also knew who to target with the tool and how to create a campaign to promote it.
Execution
The platform is a continuation of the Where to Settle platform and was developed in partnership with Gratka, leading Polish real estate portal, to help Ukrainian entrepreneurs find the best spots to open businesses near complementary Polish businesses. Using Mastercard's aggregated and anonymized data, the platform suggests locations where new Ukrainian businesses are likely to succeed alongside existing Polish ones.
When using the platform, business owners input specific details about their type of business and location preferences. The tool identifies areas with high commercial potential and pinpoints locations where new businesses could complement existing businesses. For instance, the platform might suggest opening a bookstore near a jewelry store.
Mastercard promoted it with a digital and social media campaign featuring testimonials from Polish business owners inviting Ukrainian entrepreneurs to open business near them. We created storefront posters, digital and social media campaign, PR support and OOH.
When using the platform, business owners input specific details about their type of business and location preferences. The tool identifies areas with high commercial potential and pinpoints locations where new businesses could complement existing businesses. For instance, the platform might suggest opening a bookstore near a jewelry store.
Mastercard promoted it with a digital and social media campaign featuring testimonials from Polish business owners inviting Ukrainian entrepreneurs to open business near them. We created storefront posters, digital and social media campaign, PR support and OOH.
Results
An impact on the lives of Ukrainian and Polish entrepreneurs:
Around 28,000 businesses open in Poland every month. Of the 347,000 new businesses that opened in Poland last year, 10% were location-based businesses. The tool attracted 12,000 users it’s first month. Up to 40% of new business owners used this platform.
It also fueled shifting perceptions of Ukranians for the better:
After using our platform, 55% of Polish entrepreneurs claim that Ukrainian entrepreneurs opening companies in Poland have a positive impact on the economy (a 10% lift from before).
Best of all, it not only helped thousands, it also helped Mastercard:
Among people who used the Where to Start tool, the perception of the Mastercard brand as one that supports entrepreneurs increased significantly (an increase of 21 percentage points, from 34% among people who had no contact with the tool, to 55% among people using the tool).
Around 28,000 businesses open in Poland every month. Of the 347,000 new businesses that opened in Poland last year, 10% were location-based businesses. The tool attracted 12,000 users it’s first month. Up to 40% of new business owners used this platform.
It also fueled shifting perceptions of Ukranians for the better:
After using our platform, 55% of Polish entrepreneurs claim that Ukrainian entrepreneurs opening companies in Poland have a positive impact on the economy (a 10% lift from before).
Best of all, it not only helped thousands, it also helped Mastercard:
Among people who used the Where to Start tool, the perception of the Mastercard brand as one that supports entrepreneurs increased significantly (an increase of 21 percentage points, from 34% among people who had no contact with the tool, to 55% among people using the tool).
2025 Awards
Total Points: 9
Bronze Pencil
Credits
Agency
McCANN Poland / Warsaw
McCann Worldgroup Romania / Bucharest
Client / Brand
Mastercard / Warsaw
Art Director
Barbara Olech
Associate Creative Director
Bec Matlioski
Jonathan DaCruz
Copywriter
Anna Posuniak
Creative Director
Bartosz Jeglejewski
Bahnu Arbuaratna
Bhanu Arbuaratna
Design Director
Max Henderson
Designer
Kamil Rekosz
Motion Designer
Guilherme Silva
Magdalena Bąk
Simon Harris
Producer
Shawn Sobers
William Kaplan
Assistant Editor
Avery Mandeville
Broadcast Producer
Damian Szojda
CCO
Federico Fanti
CEE Regional Creative Director, CCO McCann Romania
Catalin Dobre
EVP, Head of Design
Matt van Leeuwen
Executive Producer
Dan Priore
Global CCO
Javier Campopiano
Managing Director & Executive Creative Director
Marcin Sosinski
Senior Art Director
Adam Głowacki
Paweł Cholewa
Senior Copywriter
Ignacy Kotkowski
Kamil Kuć
Liam Galt
Mateusz Gaca
Senior Creative Director
Paulo Tavora Engler Pinto
Senior Strategist
Michał Sławiński
.
Nicola Haffenden
Plum OKeeffe
Account Supervisor
Anna Sokołowska
Associate Design Director
Nicole Byrne
Nicole Byrne
Associate Director, Project Management
Lexi Vogler
Brand Director Europe (Mastercard)
Tom Vick
Business Director
Claudine Gueriaux
CCO McCann XBC, McCann Europe
Adrian Botan
Chief Marketing & Communications Officer Mastercard
Raja Rajamannar
Communications Director
Anna Marciniak
Consumer Marketing Manager
Ewelina Różycka
Małgorzata Szczerbińska
Creative Excellence Manager, Europe & UK
Alice Reindlová
Data Insights Department Lead
Marek Kolano
Data Science Lead
Rafał Czapski
Data Science& Spatial Data Expert
Konrad Kujszczyk
EVP, Head of Strategy
Oriol Bombí
Executive Creative Director Europe
Costin Bogdan
Luca Corteggiano
Executive Vice President, Marketing & Communications, International Markets at Mastercard
Beatrice Cornacchia
General Manager Poland
Marta Życińska
Global Product Excellence Director
Carmen Bistrian
Head of Marketing and Communication Poland, Czech Rep & Slovakia
Jerzy Hołub
Managing Director
Małgorzata Tereszczenko
Marketing Manager Mastercard Advisors
Yaryna Zozulia
President McCann XBC & Chief Client Officer McCann North America
Veronica Bertrand
Senior Designer QC Manager
Travis Bonilla
Senior Edit
Deydson Rocha
SVP Group Creative Director
Chad Baker
Ethan Schmidt
SVP, Executive Account Director
Mat Cunnell
Traffic Manager
Anna Kondraciuk
Jędrek Zamorowski
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