Company: Mastercard, Nairobi, Kenya
Nomination Submitted by: Weber Shandwick
Company Description: Mastercard is a global payments technology company dedicated to creating an inclusive, digital economy. We make transactions safe, simple, and accessible using secure data, networks, and innovative solutions. Our work supports individuals, institutions, and businesses worldwide. With a presence in over 210 countries, we aim to build a sustainable world and unlock valuable opportunities for all.
Nomination Category: Communications & Marketing Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Communications or PR Campaign of the Year - Social Media Focused
 Nomination Title: Mastercard 'She Is Priceless' Campaign
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes, explaining the nominated campaign or program - its genesis,development, planning, commission, and performance to date - OR written answers to the questions? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video. If you are submitting written answers to the questions, provide them in the appropriate spaces below:
- Specify the date on which this campaign or program was launched:
International Women’s Day in March 2024
- Describe the development of the campaign or program: the planning process, the goal setting, the creative and media development, the scheduling, etc. (up to 250 words):
Total 208 words used.
The development of the ‘She is Priceless’ campaign began with a clear set of goals: to increase visibility for Mastercard’s female leaders, to inspire young women to pursue careers in tech, and to position Mastercard as a leading advocate for gender equality and employer-of-choice in Africa. The creative process centered around crafting compelling narratives of Mastercard’s women leaders, transforming their personal and professional stories into engaging social media content. This included a series of interviews, quotes, and short video snippets designed for platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), where the target audience of young professionals and aspiring women leaders could be most effectively reached.
The media strategy was social media-centric, leveraging Mastercard’s owned channels and those of the featured leaders to maximize reach and engagement. Partnerships with influential media outlets like Forbes Africa and The Guardian Nigeria were also integrated into the social media strategy, ensuring broad coverage and engagement.
Scheduling was carefully planned around International Women’s Day in March 2024, a period that naturally aligns with themes of gender equality and women’s empowerment. The timing ensured that the campaign would benefit from heightened public interest and media attention. The campaign was executed over a five-day period, strategically timed to maintain momentum and maximize audience engagement.
- Describe the genesis of the nominated campaign or program: the reasons it was initiated, the challenges it was created to address, the problems it was developed to solve, etc. (up to 250 words):
Total 237 words used.
The ‘She is Priceless’ campaign was launched as part of Mastercard’s broader commitment to advance gender equality, particularly in Africa where the gender gap in leadership roles is significant. Despite the progress made, challenges persist. Africa has a gender parity score (GPS) of 68.2%. However, women often occupy low-paid, subsistence jobs, and leadership positions remain male-dominated, especially in the tech sector, where only 11.1% of African tech startups have female CEOs.
Mastercard stands out with 49% of leadership roles in Africa held by women. This is exceptional when compared to the broader corporate landscape, where only 5% of companies listed on the 29 stock exchanges have female CEOs, according to Bloomberg.
Recognizing the need to address the underrepresentation of women in leadership, particularly in technology, Mastercard’s campaign sought to inspire young women across Africa to pursue careers in these fields. By challenging societal norms and showcasing relatable role models, ‘She is Priceless’ aimed to highlight career opportunities in technology, bridge the gender gap, and reinforce Mastercard as an employer of choice for women in Africa. These efforts align with the broader goal of advancing women’s equality, which, if fully realized, could contribute an additional $316 billion to Africa's GDP by 2025, underscoring the economic and social impact of achieving gender parity.
The campaign strategically utilised digital and social media channels to reach a wide audience by sharing inspiring stories of Mastercard’s women leaders in Africa.
- Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 246 words used.
- Social Media Result Highlights: The campaign achieved substantial traction on social media through posts on LinkedIn, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), with a total reach of 11 million, 12 million impressions, and 133,312 engagements, resulting in an impressive engagement rate of 10.18%. This reflects the campaign’s effectiveness in resonating with the audience and amplifying its message of gender equality.
- Media Features: The ‘She is Priceless’ campaign was prominently featured in Forbes Africa and The Guardian Nigeria, highlighting the inspiring stories of growth and success of Mastercard’s female leaders. Links and snapshots of these media features can be found in the supporting documents.
- Testimonials:
Christine Ogola, Vice President Technical Account Management, Africa at Mastercard: “Being part of the ‘She is Priceless’ campaign has been incredibly empowering. It not only showcased our achievements as leaders at Mastercard but also highlighted to young women across Africa that they have the power to pursue their dreams in the tech industry and Mastercard is the place that can make this dream a reality for them. Mastercard’s unwavering support for gender equality is truly making a difference.”
Folasade Femi-Lawal, Country Manager for West Africa, Mastercard: “Participating in the ‘She is Priceless’ campaign was a profound experience. It allowed me to share my journey and connect with other women leaders. The overwhelming response from young women who felt encouraged to break barriers and aim higher was incredibly rewarding. Mastercard’s commitment to fostering an inclusive environment is evident and impactful.”
- Outline the activities and concrete results of this campaign or program since the beginning of July 2022. Even if your initiative started before July 2022, limit your response to activities and results since the beginning of July 2022 only (up to 250 words):
Total 187 words used.
Mastercard’s commitment to gender equality is reflected in its remarkable achievement of having 49% of leadership positions in Africa held by women. Since July 2022, Mastercard has undertaken significant efforts to advance gender equality in Africa, culminating in the ‘She is Priceless’ campaign launched in March 2024. The campaign was executed as a social media-first initiative, designed to leverage the broad reach and engagement potential of platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram and X across key markets in Africa, including Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa. The activities included the creation and dissemination of content that highlighted the inspiring journeys and valuable insights of Mastercard’s female leaders with the primary objective of engaging and inspiring a wide audience of young women to enter the tech industry.
The results were outstanding:
- Total Reach: 11 million
- Total Impressions: 12 million
- Total Engagements: 133,312
- Overall Engagement Rate: 10.18%
- Performance by Market:
- Nigeria: Highest reach at 1.44 million, 5.34 million impressions, and 43.42% engagement rate.
- Kenya: Highest engagement rate at 55.67%, 581K reach, and 3 million impressions.
- South Africa: Engagement rate of 21.79% with substantial audience interaction.
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