How financial brands should talk when the cost-of-living-crisis is the new normal

For financial brands it’s time to enable not empathise. Show people what they can do next and make it easier for them to get there.

People aren’t in a cost-of-living crisis any more, now they’re in a cost-of-living reality.

From the supermarket shop and utility bills to the cost of a holiday and a pint at the pub, prices are higher than they were a year ago – and they’re still rising.

As ONS figures consistently show, it’s the most important issue in the UK according to nearly 9 in 10 people (88%).

But consumers are past panicking, they’re adapting their lives to deal with the fact that everything costs more than it used to.

It’s changing how people feel about money, how they spend, save and plan – no matter if they’re managing their investments or working out how to make ends meet.

Financial brands should stop understanding and start doing

It’s time for financial brands to focus less on saying “we understand”. That doesn’t take the pressure off. It doesn’t help people make decisions.

Instead, they need to be clear, offer a way forward and provide the knowledge for people to feel they’re making progress – even if it’s one step at a time. It’s about helping make life feel “do-able”.

Why rising prices are reshaping how we think about value

Let’s take the weekly shop as an example. Supermarket price inflation was at 4.1% in May 2025, its highest level since early 2024.

As Kantar’s Fraser McKevitt observes: “Households have been adapting their buying habits to manage budgets for some time…”

And that’s the point.

People aren’t just defaulting to spending less, they’re thinking more. Working out what feels worth it, what offers real value.

For financial brands it’s time to enable not empathise. Show people what they can do next and make it easier for them to get there.

It could be:

How can Sticky help? 

• A savings account that shows really clearly how to achieve your goals
• A budgeting tool that helps people see what’s possible this month
• A targeted explainer that cuts through jargon and helps people make confident financial decisions
• A guide to investments that takes away unnecessary friction points and makes the options clear and concise

You’ll be offering practical functions – building understanding and trust.

Why brand trust is built on clarity

If you ask people, they don’t really need a quirky tone of voice or a clever headline.

In fact, 71% of financial services customers say clarity and ease of understanding is their number one priority in brand communication.

But in 2024 fewer than half (47%) rated the communications they got from the financial sector as good or excellent.

But in 2024 fewer than half (47%) rated the communications they got from the financial sector as good or excellent.

And it’s not just about clarity, it’s also about usefulness at every stage of the financial journey. The Financial Conduct Authority’s 2024 Financial Lives report revealed:

• 59% of adults face difficulties with financial matters
• 36% of people rate their financial knowledge as low
• 42% don’t have enough savings to cover three months of expenses
• 90% have savings but only 35% have investments
• 80% of adults with a pension have never thought a lot about how much to pay in

So people don’t only need help with money when things are tough. It’s also a key need for customers with insurance policies, mortgages, savings and investments.

Give people tools, information and products that help them feel more capable. Let people build financial confidence at every moment in their journey by knowing what to do next.

Demographics are dated, it’s time to get curious

Life journeys don’t look the same as they used to. That’s why financial content that’s pinned to traditional life stages, age or income bracket often misses the mark.

The “people looking for a first mortgage” or with a “primary school age child they want to save for” could come from an age range that spans at least 20 years.

You’re not talking to a demographic, you’re talking to someone who’s trying to work out what to do next at that specific moment in their life.

At Sticky, we segment people by what they’re looking for and the motivations behind their search – their curiosity.

Our Curious Consumer Cohorts® help brands understand who their audience really is at that moment and to create content that will truly connect in the way they want – helping to build long-lasting trust and consumer loyalty.

If you want to know more, download our new ‘Curious about finance?’ report.