Monzo arrives in Ireland with A New Era of Banking

Created by BBH Dublin, the launch celebrates a new, simpler way to bank through humour, nostalgia and a distinctly human lens

By Creative Salon

24 April 2026

Leading digital bank Monzo has officially launched in Ireland with a 100,000 user waitlist, signalling massive customer demand. Marking day one of a new way of banking for Irish customers, this milestone moment has been marked with a playful, local campaign.

Monzo’s mission is to make money work for everyone by bringing free every-day banking to both individuals and businesses in Ireland. BBH Dublin has leant into humour and shared experience, spotlighting Irish customers' pain points and how Monzo can help solve them.

The campaign's central idea, A New Era of Banking, unfolds across five films set over the past five decades, each gently observing moments of waiting, delay or mild inconvenience. From loitering by a phone box to watching a screen slowly load or standing by as a washing machine takes its time. Across each scene, characters casually wonder aloud about the kind of everyday banking features that would make life easier, giving the films a light, knowing humour.

Directed by Daniel Liakh through Chaser and voiced by Derry Girls star and Traitors Ireland presenter Siobhán McSweeney, the work balances nostalgia with a sharp, contemporary tone. With no hidden fees and no jargon, Monzo is bringing clear and transparent banking to Ireland. It’s a tone that runs consistently across TV, OOH, radio and social, designed to be relatable whilst maintaining Monzo’s distinct tone of voice from the outset.

AJ, Vice President of Marketing and Growth said: “Launching in Ireland is a massive milestone. Our mission is to make money work for everyone and we’re so excited to now bring that to the Irish market. We wanted our arrival to feel genuinely local, rooted in the reality of how people here handle money every day. By tackling the actual frustrations Irish customers have faced with banking, this campaign reflects our desire to solve those pain points, while maintaining Monzo’s simple and straightforward tone of voice”.

To bring the idea of “waiting” into the real world and sparking conversation ahead of Monzo’s arrival, the campaign kicked off with a live activation at Smithfield Plaza in Dublin last week. One hundred people were invited to step onto a large Monzo card installation and remain there together as a countdown unfolded — those who stayed were rewarded with €400 Golden Tickets, deposited directly into newly opened Monzo accounts, unlocking early access to the bank ahead of its official arrival. The experience turned a simple human truth into something tangible and shareable, creating a moment of collective anticipation that mirrored the campaign’s central idea.

BBH CEO Karen Martin said: “We couldn’t be more excited to help bring Monzo to Ireland. By placing Monzo’s features into those familiar moments of waiting, Irish customers can see not only a different way to bank, but a very different relationship with banking. One that's of the here and now, for the actual lives people lead."

The campaign marks Monzo’s first major push in Ireland and signals a confident, distinctive entry into the market — one that favours personality, simplicity and a bit of well-observed humour.