Bharti AXA's new digital campaign: Don't rely on luck, get insured

The agency tried to present references of scarcely believable ads to remind viewers how some people rely solely on superstition

As advertisements of insurance companies make a visible shift from sounding an alarm to laying stress on health consciousness, a light-hearted message may no longer surprise audiences. In its new digital campaign, Bharti AXA General Insurance resorts to spoofing old-style ads through its advertisements to target millennials.

The campaign comprising four ad films conveying its theme, “Luck pe bharosa chhodo aur insurance se nata jodo” (Don’t rely on luck, get insured), touches upon car, bike and health insurance. The narrative around each film is about a smartly dressed youth selling a product called “Kauvve ka maltyag” (literally, crow’s poop), which he presses out of a pack to “insure” vehicles or even a man (by rubbing it on his hair). But every time he meets with disaster, as the vehicles are stolen or a coconut falls on his client’s head.

Upendra Namburi, chief innovation and marketing officer, Bharti AXA General Insurance, says nearly 80 per cent two-wheelers and 25 per cent cars are possibly uninsured despite it being mandatory. When it comes to ensuring protection of these assets, many Indians continue to believe in superstition. Similarly, in case of health, too, a majority follow different methods other than insurance to guard against emergencies, he adds. “With this insight, we have developed our new campaign. It targets millennials who take a more balanced view towards life.”

The target audience reflects the choice of digital as the medium of communication. Namburi cites a Boston Consulting Group-Google report to suggest that by 2020 three in four policy purchases would be influenced by the digital channel. The total market size of the insurance sector in India is projected to touch US$ 350-400 billion by 2020, according to reports. Bharti AXA General Insurance, a joint venture between Bharti Enterprises and AXA, aims to strike a chord with the online generation in the 22-40 age group.

Ankul Singh, partner at The Gang, which conceptualised the campaign, says the agency tried to present references of scarcely believable ads to remind viewers how some people at times rely solely on superstitions. “The problem that needed to be addressed was ‘every four out of five two-wheelers in India are uninsured’. After conducting a few dipsticks, the core insight that emerged was that the consumer believes he doesn’t need insurance as nothing can ever go wrong. The task in hand was to stand out from the clutter, yet drive home the message of protection.”

Given the digital medium, says Singh, it was imperative to come up with a narrative that doesn’t play off the traditional “fear appeal” of insurance ad campaigns but draws the viewer towards unexpected content.

Vijay Simha, group creative director, Cheil, says that for a category that has negligible penetration in a country as populated as India, insights that cut across segments are welcome. “While I had never heard of ‘kauvve ka maltyag’, maybe most of those to the north of the Vindhyas have. So a pat on the back to the agency as well as client for picking on something very Indian,” he says, but adds that the execution was not right on the money.

“What pulls everything down is the execution. It’s not funny at all — and humour is not an easy subject to handle. Whether we like it or not, any humorous content today competes with all kinds of comedy online. So it’s got to be at that level. Sadly, this isn’t,” says Simha.

Brand: Bharti AXA

Budget: Rs 10-12 crore (estimated)

Agency: The Gang