Marris Adikwu is a culture writer and a keen observer of consumer behaviour. She also writes short stories and reads anything she can get her hands on.

People expect brands to rise to society’s challenges

Shared Values

Not everyone can spin the news about Beyoncé and Jay-Z's recent mortgage acquisition into 

 on the benefits of low-interest-rate borrowing, but Mrs. Dow Jones can. She has tips on a wide range of money-related topics, from how to pay college tuition 

 (based on Kim Kardashian’s qualified tuition plan) to 

 on tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.

Describing herself as the ‘Zillennial finance expert’, 

 – a character imagined by influencer Haley Sacks – is changing the face of personal finance education. Largely geared towards a Gen Z female audience, her catchy content takes current headlines and elements of the news to talk about broader finance topics. With fun memes and videos, she also leverages pop culture to explain everyday finance using celebrity metaphors. These videos are aimed at democratizing financial concepts and making budgeting fun for young people who are looking to take control of their finances, no matter how much they own. Mrs. Dow Jones also runs a paid platform known as 

, where she offers online courses such as The Beginner Guide to Wall Street. This approach to learning is increasingly gaining traction on social media – Mrs. Dow Jones has 

Although Sacks comes from the world of money (she was born to a family in New York City's Upper East Side and her father works for Goldman Sachs), she says she was always surrounded by wealth without knowing much about it. With Mrs. Dow Jones, she’s looking to help people get an early start in building financial knowledge. Rather than flaunting money on social media, she shares how much she spends on her purchases and explains how she budgeted for them. She also teaches smart budgeting, which encourages people to treat themselves as long as it benefits them. Amid the economic decline of the last few years and recent events such as the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, the overall trust in financial institutions is dwindling. 

CNBC

 In the US, where just 54% of people say they trust these institutions, nearly 80% of young adults turn to social media influencers for personal finance advice. 

Edelman

Forbes

 Why do these voices inspire trust among Gen Z?

The uneven impact of the cost of living crisis

The cost of living crisis has made people hyper-conscious about money, leading many to look for ways of better managing their finances. Research shows that women around the world are disproportionately affected by low pay and spiraling living costs, and 39% of Gen Zers cite finances as a leading source of stress. 

World Economic Forum

Fortune

 “Women face unique financial challenges, including the gender pay gap, longer life expectancies, and higher healthcare costs, which can limit their ability to earn money and threaten their financial stability,” says Preet Kaur, Finance Manager at Matajer Dubai. “With the ongoing situation, learning to make informed decisions about money has become a necessity.” 

Interview with Preet Kaur conducted by the author

 As nearly 70% of Gen Yers in the US do not maintain a formal budget to keep track of their finances, they require guidance on how to make better choices with money. 

Prudential

 This is where influencers like Mrs. Dow Jones come in, breaking down complex financial terms for young audiences and showing them relatable ways to meet their goals. Jasmine Taylor, founder of Baddies & Budgets, also gave a new face to money management with the 100-envelope savings challenge on TikTok, which promised to help users save up to $5,000 by stashing cash in labeled envelopes over the course of 100 days. 

TIME

Amid rising inflation and a looming recession, a 

 has people calling the lavish, aspirational viewpoint of influencers into question. Consumers and TikTok users like 

 are now rethinking the relatability and authenticity of many content creators. Shabaz Says has gained 1.5 million followers and over 50 million likes for his videos mocking influencers who show off their wealth with 

. As 42% of Gen Zers want people to show more of their real selves on social media, Mrs. Dow Jones is at the edge of this trend in the world of personal finance. 

Statista

 Rather than going the extreme length of not spending at all, she uses her own experiences to show her audience how to budget wisely and spend intelligently, including on mini luxuries.

A 2022 study revealed a financial literacy gap between genders, with women registering lower economic literacy rates than men – women correctly answered 45% of finance-related questions, compared with 55% for men taking the same test. 

Annuity

 In addition, Bank of America found that only 28% of women feel empowered to take action on their investments and savings, owing partly to a need for additional guidance and support from financial institutions. 

Bank of America

 Mrs. Dow Jones is part of a growing tribe of largely Gen Y women aiming to change the narrative around women and money, often by drawing from their personal lives. There’s also 

, “the Beyoncé of Personal Finance” and 

. These influencers create personal finance content with a common goal: to close the financial literacy gender gap.

Formal education does not include sufficient coverage of financial support and education. There is an opportunity for businesses to find creative ways to empower female Gen Zers. As Mrs. Dow Jones exemplifies, this can be done by removing the pressure that comes with comparison on social media and presenting a more informative, entertaining approach to financial support and education. “It is essential to deliver financial education that is reasonable and simple, using real-life examples and situations that appeal to young women,” says Kaur. “They can be more inspired to take action to achieve their financial objectives as a result of being able to understand how relevant financial advice is to their own lives. 

The yearning for authenticity is on the rise, challenging marketers and brands to reflect the demand for transparency. The influencer landscape is shifting, with some voices resonating more authentically than others; as people are after more than just inspiration – they’re looking for actionable insights from their favorite creators. When it comes to spending, brands can look to team up with influencers who understand the unique financial challenges of Gen Z women and provide guidance accordingly. For instance, 

 is partnering with Mrs. Dow Jones to offer tips on how to make the most of their services. “Many young women are burdened by issues like student loan debt, and others have unique career paths that may differ from traditional employment models, such as freelancing or entrepreneurship,” says Melissa Terry, Chief Financial Analyst at VEM Tooling. “Brands can gain more from working with influencers who understand these needs from a personal standpoint.” 

Interview with Melissa Terry conducted by the author

Gen Zers understand the importance of learning to navigate the financial system but feel like there aren’t enough resources to do so. 

 The topic of personal finance is of interest to younger audiences, as long as it feels fun, relatable, and tailored to them. A sure way to engage an audience that has been largely forgotten by the finance industry is to take cues from other sectors and topics that they’re particularly engaged in. While Mrs. Dow Jones taps into pop culture topics to offer personal finance tips, other influencers like Lexa VanDamme of 

, make fun of the infamous tip of ditching lattes and avocado toast to get rich, while providing shame-free personal finance education to Gen Y and Gen Z.

 of young adults turn to social media influencers for personal finance advice

 of Gen Yers in the US do not maintain a formal budget to keep track of their finances

Mrs. Dow Jones is a self-proclaimed ‘Zillennial finance expert’ who makes use of pop culture topics to teach personal finance

Her videos are aimed at democratizing financial concepts and making budgeting and money management fun for young people

There is a growing trend of financial influencers who are aiming to shift outdated narratives around women and money

Preet Kaur is a finance manager at Matajer Dubai. She has a diverse background in accounting, investment banking, and insurance advising.

Melissa Terry is a personal finance expert and chief financial analyst at VEM Tooling.

United States

Money

Gen Zers are losing trust in traditional financial institutions and looking to gain knowledge on money matters from sources they can relate to. Within this context, the finfluencer Haley Sacks – aka ‘Mrs. Dow Jones’ – is aiming to make financial education accessible and fun for young women.