NRMA INSURANCE - PROTECT WHAT’S PRECIOUS

Short List
TitleNRMA INSURANCE - PROTECT WHAT’S PRECIOUS
BrandNRMA
Product / ServiceINSURANCE
CategoryA06. Consumer Services / Business to Business
EntrantTHINKERBELL Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Idea Creation THINKERBELL Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Idea Creation 2 COLENSO BBDO Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
Media Placement MINDSHARE Sydney, AUSTRALIA
PR THINKERBELL Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Additional Company YOUGOV GALAXY Ultimo, AUSTRALIA

Credits

Name Company Position
Adam Ferrier Thinkerbell Chief Thinker
Paul Swann Thinkerbell Executive Creative Tinker
Catherine King Thinkerbell Head Thinker
Natalie Duncan Thinkerbell Head Thinker
Laura Popa Thinkerbell Lead Thinker
Tarah Miller Thinkerbell Lead Thinker
Brent Smart IAG Chief Marketing Officer
Zara Curtis IAG Director of Content and Customer Engagement
Sally Kiernan IAG Marketing Director, Brand
Elizabeth Stokes IAG Creative & Innovation Lead
Danielle Picker IAG Creative & Innovation Specialist

Why is this work relevant for PR?

We were asked to take the Christmas ad, featuring a woman carefully driving a pavlova to a Christmas lunch and generate earned media, whilst anchoring NRMA Insurance at the heart of the road safety message during the cluttered Christmas period. To do this, we had to create a compelling earned media strategy that would create discussion and talk-ability, making a humble dessert a symbol of the importance of driving safely at Christmas.

Background

Trust is the number one issue facing the insurance sector in Australia. Given this, the brief from NRMA Insurance was to develop a Christmas campaign that positioned the brand as the most trusted, empathetic and talked about in Australia. We were asked to take the Christmas ad, featuring a woman carefully driving a pavlova to a Christmas lunch and generate earned media, whilst anchoring NRMA Insurance at the heart of the road safety message during the cluttered Christmas period.

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

The idea was in three parts. First, we conducted a YouGov study with 1,000 Australian drivers, asking them questions about their driving habits and behaviours. Next, we actually physically monitored the driving behaviors of Australian drivers, using in-car cameras, accelerometers and pre & post driving interviews. Thirdly, we packaged the findings of these studies which revealed that Australian drivers actually drove more carefully with a cake in the car, than they did with their own children.

Describe the PR strategy (30% of vote)

To gain traction during the Christmas period, our insight was to qualify and actually substantiate the assertion that people will drive more carefully when transporting a pavlova for the family Christmas lunch, than when driving with their loved ones. The NRMA Insurance Pavlova Driving Study was created. With YouGov Galaxy we conducted a two-part social experiment involving a survey and a driving experiment: - 1,059 Australian drivers were surveyed on their attitudes to driving and how their driving changed when caring for a child vs. a pavlova - Twenty participants took part in the driving experiment that took place over eight days, examining how they drove alone, with a child and with a pavlova (tracking their actual driving behaviours with sensors and accelerometers put their cars. The research demonstrated a discrepancy; the quantitative data revealing how people perceive they drive and the experiment showing the reality of their driving behaviours.

Describe the PR execution (20% of vote)

The key message we wanted to communicate during the campaign was: To protect what’s really precious this Christmas. We packaged up our key research findings and secured an exclusive across the News Corp and Channel 10 News. The media package included research results, video case study, the NRMA Insurance Christmas TVC and interviews with NRMA Insurance spokesperson, Sally Kiernan and consumer psychologist, Adrian Camilleri. We then widely distributed the results of the study, securing talkback radio interviews with Sally and Adrian across the country.

List the results (30% of vote)

The study dominated news sites over a busy Christmas news period of impeachments, Brexit, bushfires and UK election results. However, despite this, we had a massive media uptake, including: - A News Corp network exclusive and Channel 10 News 3-minute story ran; - In just two days, 15.1 million impressions were generated against a target audience reach of 4 million; - 111 pieces secured to date against a KPI of 24 pieces, all with full NRMA Insurance branding. Specific results include: - Print coverage secured via the News Corp exclusive prompted further media debate and discussion, including 20 talkback radio stories, 45 pieces across major metro mastheads (print and online) and a panel discussion on Channel 9 TODAY; - Three TV pieces ran on Channel 10 News, which featured the TVC, research case study video and a panel debate on driving behaviour; - Over 25 radio station mentions as well as inclusions on their online platforms; and Further people knew the campaign was created by NRMA Insurance: - 100% of the coverage mentioned NRMA, 90% mentioned NRMA Insurance - 100% positive-neutral sentiment / key messages - 77% featured commentary from one of our campaign spokespeople. During Australia’s busiest time in the media and on our roads, we used Australia’s most iconic dessert, the pavlova, as an unexpected vehicle to raise awareness around the importance of driving safely and protecting what’s precious this Christmas.