MasterCard’s 1997 campaign was called “Priceless.” The advertisements listed the prices of several purchased items and ended with an experience or emotional benefit described as “priceless.”
McCann-Erickson created the campaign for MasterCard. Its structure was simple and highly adaptable: ordinary transactions established a monetary scale, while the final human moment suggested that some experiences could not be bought directly. The format quickly became recognizable in many countries.
“Priceless” helped MasterCard compete in a crowded payments market by selling more than convenience. It associated the card with family memories, travel, celebrations, and other moments that consumers considered more important than the cost of the items involved.
The word is sometimes treated as a generic adjective, but in the campaign it functioned as a distinctive brand sign-off. MasterCard later extended the platform into sponsorships, digital media, and localized advertisements around the world.