Who: Insurance Brokers Association of Canada, with Agency 59 for creative and media, Partners Film for production.
What: “The Broker Benefit,” a bilingual campaign promoting the importance of having the right broker when it comes to choosing an insurance policy. The campaign continues IBAC’s recent shift from more functional advertising to a humour-led approach. “With this spot, we’re trying to entertain before we inform,” said Agency 59 creative director Brian Howlett.
When & Where: The campaign launched this week with TV ads on sports and news/current affairs programming, accompanied by what is described as a “significant” digital campaign. The first ad flight debuted this week and runs to December, with a second flight following in spring 2022. IBAC generally introduces new creative every two years, with Howlett saying that the creative remains fresh longer because of the campaigns’ modest media weight.
Why: The goal here is to convey the advantages of using a broker to buy insurance, since they can help ensure that people are properly covered in the event of a claim. It comes as consumers increasingly look online for insurance, with TD Insurance president and CEO Ray Chun telling Canadian Underwriter magazine earlier this year that he expects half of all customers to fulfill their insurance needs online within five years.
How: The creative shows the long-term regret that can follow home and business owners around because they didn’t choose the right coverage. In one scenario, a home owner is forced to grapple with a huge branch from a tree that fell on his house and is now attached to his back, while the other shows a book shop owner continuing to deal with the impact of a burst pipe.
“The consequences of not having the right coverage are going to stay with you for quite a while—whether you’re trying to pay off a loan to cover the repair, or you can’t afford to get the proper repair because you don’t have the proper coverage,” said Howlett. “It’s bringing the idea of long-term regret to life.”
Let’s hear it for the bough: The branch came from a real tree, and was attached to actor Chris Stephenson by a harness for the entire four- to five-hour shoot, said Howlett. “We needed it to be big enough that it wasn’t a little twig, but not so big that the actor couldn’t perform with it,” he said. “We knew we were going to be casting for someone with a bit of agility that could handle the challenge of trying to make it through the door.
“A lot of what ended up in the spot was him continuing to push things and get crazier with his attempts to get through the doorway. Agencies always stand up and thank clients, but hats off to the performers. Without them we can’t get anywhere.”
And we quote: “‘The Broker Benefit’ takes a lighthearted look at the problems that can arise when Canadians don’t have expert insurance advice. We believe that IBAC’s bold new direction will increase public awareness of the advantages of using a broker to ensure proper coverage and peace of mind.” — Peter Braid, CEO, IBAC
