The first bank account that offers interest on breastfeeding
Despite its well documented health benefits for both mother and child, breastfeeding rates in Nigeria remain well below the global average. While some women are physically unable to breastfeed, many more are held back by social pressure. As a result, mothers can spend over 30% of their household income on formula. Herconomy, Nigeria’s leading digital bank for women found a way to turn care into capital. Breastmilk Money is an innovative banking solution that transforms the act of breastfeeding into savings by accruing interest on funds saved from not purchasing formula.
Client
Herconomy
Year
2025
Role
Concept, art direction, design concept, strategy, project management, outreach, pitch development, sourcing, client communication, PR, experience design, identity design, digital design, UX/UI, audio production, photo & video production, digital production
Links
Mothers can sign up for the Breastmilk Money savings account in the existing Herconomy app. To begin, mothers can calculate how much they would save by breastfeeding instead of buying formula with custom variables such as their child's age, appetite, and what price range of formula they use. That amount is turned into a custom savings plan per user, and each month, that amount is automatically transferred to the Breastmilk Money savings account where it earns 14.3% interest – the average developmental improvement breastfeeding provides children.
Breastmilk Money was launched at Nigeria’s largest finance conference for women in 2025. From there, it gained traction through an integrated campaign featuring OOH ads across Nigeria and a short film.
Every element of the identity and the campaign was designed to reflect both the emotional and scientific sides of breastfeeding, aligning with the dualistic nature of Breastmilk Money, which works across breastfeeding and banking. For example, the identity’s workmark, Exposure, a variable font designed by Federico Parra Barrios from 205TF, was chosen for it's liquid-like look to signify breastmilk and all its beauty. In contrast, SF Pro was selected as the secondary typeface, mainly for the banking interfaces as it follows Apple’s design guidelines and added a clean, trusted layer to the experience.
As part of the campaign, acclaimed director Fariba Buchheim wrote and directed "MILK", a short film that captures the realities and struggles of a breastfeeding mother in Nigeria. The film features a day in the life of a young mother in Lagos, played by Nene Aliemeke and her actual son Chukwuka.
The website acts as the campaign hub to inform not only mothers, but also the public about breastfeeding. Aside from information on how to sign up for the account and the latest project updates, it also includes an educational editorial section and a page of resources for mothers who may be struggling to breastfeed.
The editorial was written by science journalist and mother, Ogechi Ekeanyanwu, and provides both factual and personal insight into the situation around breastfeeding in Nigeria. To accompany it, key data points were transformed into interactive charts made of "milk", that used colors sampled from actual breastmilk to further educate the audience. The charts came to life with a custom JavaScript particle simulation that rendered a fluid milk-like effect across devices. Finally, photography by Yagazie Emezi and Nengi Nelson painted a realistic picture of motherhood across Nigeria
Breastmilk Money is a project by women, for women. It was brought to life by an international team of female experts across business, media, art, and healthcare, all dedicated to ensuring authenticity, fostering inclusion, and delivering real impact for mothers and communities in Nigeria.
Finally, here's a little sneak peak from behind the scenes :)
Credits
Serviceplan Innovation, Standardabweichung, We Make Them Wonder, Eat, Sleep + Design, Fariba Buchheim, Jürgen Branz, Mediaplus Group, Cotton Design, Tulom, Nengi Nelson, Yagazie Emezi, Ogechi Ekeanyanwu, Milky Express, Curiosity Africa, Fabio Ziplies, and Serviceplan MAKE
More projects
