Digital bank Up launches new campaign to support new multiplayer money feature ‘Groups’

Leading digital bank Up, has introduced Australia’s first multiplayer money feature, Groups, where shared money experiences are streamlined among friends, housemates, and communities through in-app functionality, reinforcing its overarching theme that Up’s better with mates. The launch of Groups has been supported by a national OOH campaign featuring imagery by renowned music photographer Dougal Gorman, as well as creative custom vending-machine activation at Emporium Melbourne.

From 2Up joint accounts to splitting costs effortlessly with Slices, Up’s suite of features are built to make money easy, and more social. Groups is the newest tool in the mix, turning shared financial management into something that feels less like admin, and more like staying connected.

The rise of social money shows that banking built solely for individuals doesn’t reflect how people actually live—digitally and socially. National research commissioned by Up backs this up: a lack of transparency around money is a major source of friction, with 83% admitting it’s caused tension or or arguments in their relationships. Another 60% of young Aussies say talking about money with friends feels more awkward than discussing sex or politics.

“Managing money with your mates shouldn’t feel like a chore—it should feel easy and lighthearted” said Pete Johnson, Head of Brand & Creative at Up. “With Groups, we’ve built something that brings shared money into the world people prefer to connect in—chat threads, reactions, GIFs and all. Bringing banter into the app helps break down the usual awkwardness around money. It’s about making banking feel natural amongst mates—and it’s been refreshing to see Upsiders already using it that way.

The launch of Groups has supercharged the network effects already driving Up’s growth—where more than 80% of new customers join through referrals, either via Hook Up a Mate or good old-fashioned word of mouth. Adoption has been rapid, with thousands of Groups already created. Early customer feedback has been positive, with Upsiders highlighting the convenience of keeping all their shared financial activity in one place.

This focus on shared experiences isn’t limited to the product either. Alongside the launch, Up has created an installation at Emporium Melbourne, teaming up with five Australian artists to offer limited-edition merchandise through a custom vending machine and online giveaways. The merchandise, including 1,000 custom designed t-shirts, helps to celebrate the communal spirit of Groups.

Up continues to back Australia’s creative community—not just through culture-first activations, but by embedding creativity into the fabric of its campaigns. Its latest campaign, centered on the idea that Up’s better with mates, extends the same thinking behind Groups into the brand’s visual and cultural identity.

The campaign features imagery by renowned music photographer Dougal Gorman—who also shot Up’s Simplify Money, Amplify Life campaign—bringing a familiar yet elevated visual thread to this next chapter. It’s rolling out nationally across out-of-home, street posters and connected TV, as Up expands its presence beyond Melbourne and Sydney into Brisbane, bringing its bold visual style and community-first energy to even more corners of the country.

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