Solution overview
NOW Finance knew that continuing with broad, tactical acquisition campaigns would not support its long‑term growth objectives. The business needed a more precise approach that could define its audience, sharpen its brand strategy and make every marketing dollar work harder. That’s where Experian came in.
Uncovering the target market
The first step was gaining clarity. Experian introduced NOW Finance to Mosaic segmentation, a powerful consumer classification platform that groups the Australian population at a household level, developing rich and detailed understanding of consumer behaviours and preferences. By overlaying Mosaic on NOW Finance’s consumer data, the team could finally answer the question that had been holding them back: Who is our target market?
The analysis revealed six core Mosaic segments that aligned with NOW Finance’s pricing and credit strategies. These segments offered meaningful insight with detailed qualitative descriptors and characteristics, preferences, and where they were most concentrated geographically. The data didn’t stop at identifying who the target audience was, but it also quantified how many potential customers were available in market and pinpointed the postcodes with the highest concentrations. For the first time, NOW Finance had a clearer, more actionable definition of its audience and a plan for where to focus future acquisition efforts.
From insight to action
Defining the audience was only the beginning. The next challenge was turning insights into impact. As Mosaic segments are widely recognised across media platforms, NOW Finance was able to seamlessly translate its audience insights into practical decisions, buying media directly against those segments.
Chris Maccan, NOW Finance’s Chief Marketing Officer explained:
“Part of the reason why we teamed up with Experian to take that next stage and really inform our brand strategy is the ease with which it can be translated into actual decisions.”
This capability was a game-changer. Instead of casting a wide net with mass awareness campaigns, NOW Finance could concentrate its efforts where they mattered most. Marketing spend was now targeted toward consumers who fit the business’s ideal profile; those most likely to engage, convert and deliver long-term value.
Chris added:
“It was that ability for us to take, not just understanding the insight, but actually put it into practice and make tangible decisions and buy media accordingly. That was a big reason why we went with Mosaic.”
Adding another layer: Credit Demand Index
As the collaboration matured, Experian helped NOW Finance further strengthen its audience strategy by incorporating Experian’s Credit Demand Index. This tool provided insights into which consumers had the closest proximity to intent. It also revealed which consumers in the market were likely to apply for NOW Finance’s products, regardless of whether they were existing customers. This way, NOW Finance could understand who they had already won in market and where future demand for their products was likely to come from. This insight enabled smarter prioritisation and a more proactive approach to capturing growth opportunities.
A true collaboration
What set this solution apart wasn’t just the technology, it was the collaboration. Experian didn’t simply provide data; Experian worked with NOW Finance to understand its unique challenges and goals. From the initial analysis to ongoing optimisation, Experian acted as a strategic advisor, helping the team interpret insights and apply them in practical, impactful ways.
As Chris Maccan, put it:
“What’s been amazing is the way Experian took the time to understand our problems and translate their capabilities into practical actions. It was never about selling a product; it was about collaborating to get the outcomes we needed.”
Results
The impact of this collaboration was immediate and measurable.
Within the first two years of implementing Mosaic segmentation, NOW Finance saw a reduction in cost per acquisition of up to 19%. By focusing on high-value audience segments and eliminating media waste, marketing spend became more targetted and effective.
Brand health metrics told an equally compelling story. Among in-category consumers, brand awareness increased by up to 82%, and consideration doubled, reaching a peak of 100% growth. Return on ad spend also increased by as much as 8% compared to pre-Mosaic activity. This targeting discipline paid off further, with the brand expanding trust rapidly. Forty-one percent of consumers aware of NOW Finance now cite it as a brand they trust, up from 24% one year earlier.
Unexpected outcomes
Beyond marketing performance, the collaboration delivered broader organisational value. Historically, NOW Finance was a price and risk-led business, making it challenging for executives to assess market size, growth potential, and the impact of pricing and credit strategies.
By defining its target market, NOW Finance gained a strong data-led foundation for these conversations. Board-level discussions shifted to focus on growth strategies and long-term planning, giving leaders, including the Chief Risk Officer a new lens for decision-making.
Chris Maccan reflected:
“It wasn’t an expectation going into this, but it’s been a really strong value add. It gives us such a solid data-led foundation to be able to talk to our CEO or CFO about where we’re going and how we’ll drive business outcomes.”
This clarity turned a marketing initiative into a business transformation, influencing decisions far beyond advertising.
This case study is provided by Experian Australia Pty Ltd (“Experian”) as general information and it is not (and does not contain any form of) professional, legal or financial advice. Experian and its related bodies corporate make no representations, warranties or guarantees that the information (including links and the views/opinions of authors and/or contributors) contained in this case study are error free, accurate or complete. You are solely responsible and liable for any decision made (or not made) by you in connection with the information contained in this case study. Experian (and its related bodies corporate) exclude all liability for any and all loss cost, expense, damage or claim incurred by a party as a result of or in connection with (whether directly or indirectly) this case study or any reliance on the information in this case study or links contained within. Experian owns (or has appropriate licences for) all intellectual property rights in the information and this case study must not be edited, copied, updated or republished (whether in whole or in part) in any way without Experian’s prior written consent.
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