The Campaign

As an insurer, Swann’s core benefit is one of protection. However, to truly make a difference in the category, Swann needed to do the opposite of what an insurer would do (reduce risk) and proactively enable riders to enjoy their passion. Quantitative research showed that riders were using their motorbikes less as they got older – with the average rider getting on their bike just twice a month. We utilised qualitative research to discover that it wasn’t because of lost passion; it was simply that life got in the way. This insight solidified Swann’s role beyond protection – to enable reasons to ride. This was the foundation for Insurance Inconvenience Stores. Turning an everyday errand into an epic adventure, they were located at the end of Australia’s best rides. Stocked with a range of ‘Inconvenient Products’, getting the milk meant getting on your bike for hours (in some cases days).

Creative Execution

The campaign began with the creation of 4 ‘Inconvenience Stores’ across Australia. The stores were located at the end of epic rides, rewarding those who went on the journey. They were fitted out with a bespoke branded experience, complete with retail features like wall stickers, shelf wobblers, sandwich boards, fridge decals and displays. To complete the store experience, we created Inconvenient Products. Made purely for riders, units of milk, chocolate & toilet paper were produced and stocked on the shelves. They were free for riders and offered a 10% insurance discount via a unique code to drive direct acquisition. Supporting the launch, a TVC announced the opening of the stores to the nation. This was reinforced through digital and social channels and the creation of online maps that helped riders find their furthest store. Outdoor placements in far-off regional areas were also utilised, showing riders the way across the country.

From entire clubs, to celebrities, enthusiasts and casual riders, all types on all kinds of bikes began going great distances to grab the milk – some even interstate. And Swann Insurance proved it understood riders better than anyone else, with the results to show for it. A key objective of this campaign was to drive lead acquisition in a new, innovative way. By creating a real-life product range in a category that only sells intangible products; as well as a reward for effort through a competitive offer, we were able to drive leads up 23%. This resulted in a revenue growth of 52.6% YOY. Online and brand engagement as a result of the campaign increased by 284% across the life of the campaign. What’s more, the campaign delivered a positive ROI of $1:$7.14 – for every $1AUD Swann Insurance spent, the campaign delivered $7.14.

Swann Insurance’s ‘Inconvenience Stores’ demonstrates an innovative way to utilise media to drive multiple attitudinal and behavioural objectives. We not only used traditional media in a way that drove people to a location through TV and Outdoor, but created our own media channels through the creation of stores and products that were designed to not only drive acquisition; but generate owned media through PR. The campaign is an example of driving innovation in traditional media channels, online media channels and new channels to create a fully integrated campaign.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

We were talking to motorcyclists all over Australia. From a customer perspective, we wanted to drive switching behaviour from those in the market whilst retaining current Swann customers. Awareness wasn’t an issue for Swann, but relevance was. With a limited budget, we had a strategic approach that required an innovative approach to owned, earned and paid media to drive engagement. With a brand activation at the heart of the campaign, we created our own retail channels within the stores to drive branding, engagement and authenticity. Using media data and audience insights, we planned our TV buy to drive a high presence in motorcycle-related content. Complimenting the TV were strategic outdoor placements in rural areas that showed how many kilometres (i.e 150KM) to the nearest ‘Inconvenience Store’ to capture rider’s attention. To increase social sharing/PR, we seeded the idea to local motorcycle clubs and used influencers to generate media coverage.