Why is this work relevant for Creative Strategy?

NRMA Insurance’s brand strategy is to move beyond the insurance norm of protection to actually prevent disasters from happening. They briefed us to redirect the effort which was going into renovations during Covid to home safety chores, which would make people safer. We challenged their thinking and suggested an alternative and stronger motivation to drive people to act stemming from a different crisis the nation had faced - the bush fires of 2019/2020. They embraced this thinking and changed their annual marketing to incorporate a new platform which was a bold and lateral extension for their brand.

Background

Every year thousands of Australian homes are lost or damaged to fires, floods and storms. And every year, first responders risk their lives trying to protect them. This became apparent during the 2020 bushfires, where 3500 families lost their homes and 33 people were tragically killed. Though it’s impossible to prevent natural disasters happening, being prepared can save homes and protect lives. According to research, most house fires can be prevented with a fire blanket, but less than 15% of homes own one. While 85% of homes lost to bushfires are from embers igniting uncleared debris in gutters. As Australia’s leading insurer, NRMA helps rebuild homes and lives after disasters. But in 2020, they wanted to help before. Their brief was: How do we get Australians to make their homes safer? Short term objectives: get Australians to perform household safety tasks. Long term objectives: increase market share, decrease insurance claims.

The Interpretation of the Challenge (30% of vote)

NRMA Insurance’s purpose - To make your world a safer place - is an organising mandate which focuses everyone in the company to reach beyond their category’s traditional role of ‘protection’ to ‘prevention’. It sets the brand apart and underpins its position as category leader. In the lines of people queuing outside Bunnings during 2020 the marketing team saw an opportunity to make further progress in that mission for their target market - the communities of NSW and South QLD. They briefed the agency to find a way to redirect the mass DIY efforts into doing the tasks (such as checking smoke alarms and installing fire blankets) that are proven to make people and their homes safer on a mass scale. The real measure of success in any safety campaign is participation, and that is a real challenge when people see those things as chores.

The Insight / Breakthrough Thinking (30% of vote)

COVID provided the opportunity, but we needed a stronger motivation to drive action. We found that in a different crisis. The bushfires of 2019/20 shocked us all and it wasn’t just the size of them. First Responders lost their lives trying to save people and property. We all felt helpless watching the battle they fought against catastrophic conditions, limited resources, and insufficient preparation. In the moment a despairing fire chief asked: ”Why should I send my people into danger to save properties when the owners haven’t done their part?” The whole country understood how he felt on that day. Safety prevention is a social responsibility we have to each other - What you do when it is safe could prevent someone else from having to step in when it is not. This strategy reframed chores into acts of help, a bold and lateral extension of the brand’s enduring promise.

The Creative Idea (20% of vote)

Every year, natural disasters put Australian homes and first responders at risk. Instead of helping afterwards, NRMA Insurance created a day to help before - First Saturday for First Responders. First Saturday is a behaviour change initiative that makes home preparation part of the national calendar. Working with Australia’s emergency services, weather and claims data was analysed to determine essential tasks that would make Australian homes safer, reducing the chances of first responders being called to danger. Tasks were spread over a year - one assigned to the First Saturday of every month. Tapping into the helplessness that Australians felt as they watched first responders battle last summer’s bushfires was key in creating a strategy that would motivate people to participate. Since they weren’t making their homes safer to protect themselves, giving them opportunity to finally help first responders was the core strategy that led directly to the execution itself.

The Outcome / Results (20% of vote)

While the First Saturday campaign continues to run in market as an on-going platform, current results have identified: Behaviour change has been seen with each monthly First Saturday task since launching: 28% of people reported checking the condition of fire blankets and fire extinguishers at home. 47% of people surveyed after having seen First Saturday comms proceeded to clear branches and flammable debris. 35% of people surveyed after having seen First Saturday comms made their home storm safe by cleaning gutters and downpipes. 32% of people surveyed after having seen First Saturday comms said they would clean their BBQs, range hoods and exhaust fans. Additionally, the First Saturday platform continues to positively impact business results: 2.3% uplift in Market share within NSW across home insurance products. 1.3% uplift in Renewals and continues to rise.

Please tell us how the brand purpose inspired the work

COVID provided the opportunity, but we needed a stronger motivation to drive action. We found that in a different crisis. The bushfires of 2019/20 shocked us all and it wasn’t just the size of them. First Responders lost their lives trying to save people and property. We all felt helpless watching the battle they fought against catastrophic conditions, limited resources, and insufficient preparation. In the moment a despairing fire chief asked: ”Why should I send my people into danger to save properties when the owners haven’t done their part?” The whole country understood how he felt on that day. Safety prevention is a social responsibility we have to each other - What you do when it is safe could prevent someone else from having to step in when it is not. This strategy reframed chores into acts of help, a bold and lateral extension of the brand’s enduring promise.