Budget Direct repositions as simply smarter insurance in Australia

The new brand positioning aims to clearly communicate the Budget Direct brand as the smarter insurance option for consumers.

Following research, Hulsbosch—Communication by Design, an Australian branding and design company, concluded that Budget Direct needed to change its narrative to maintain brand awareness levels and enable communication around more than just attractive price points.

The repositioning project includes a new logo, the new slogan 'Simply Smarter Insurance', a website, online quote and sales engine, along with a new advertising campaign.

The first TVC will air until 31 August. It features two new characters Zeek and Zia, an apparently highly intelligent alien couple. They replace the characters of Michael and Michelle from previous commercials.

The campaign will scale via additional national TVCs, online display, large format outdoor, YouTube, PPC and other tactical activity, according to the brand.

The creative concept on the repositioning project were led by Hulsbosch, while Liquid Animation developed and animated the TVCs in collaboration with Budget Direct’s in-house Marketing & Digital team.

“The essence of the brand is framed by one idea articulated by the tagline—Simply Smarter,” said Hans Hulsbosch, executive creative director at Hulsbosch. “We have taken the uncomplicated nature of this concept through to font, colour palette, iconography and image library to create an immediately engaging and consistent brand.”

“We’ve shifted Budget Direct’s positioning from cheap price to price plus,” said Jonathan Kerr, director marketing and digital at Budget Direct. “We’re telling our customers that they’re clever to have found us, and this by association also makes the brand smart. It’s the start of a more relevant dialogue with consumers when a brand can offer more than just a price point.”

Hulsbosch said value is the badge of today’s savvy consumers, and in the insurance category, people want to feel smart in their purchase decisions. “Our creative ‘aliens’ concept on which the TVC was built places intelligence at the heart of making sound insurance decisions,” he added. “The concept redefines the tone of insurance advertising in this country and permits Budget Direct to clearly stand apart in this sector.”

CREDITS

Hulsbosch
Executive creative director Hans Hulsbosch
Director Jaid Hulsbosch
Design director Steve Harrington
Design director Belinda Hubball
Senior account director Natasha Marsh
Senior account manager Lisa Rowlinson

Liquid Animation
Director Mike Viner
Producer Geoff Viner
Live action director Damon Escott
Producer Georgie Uppington

Budget Direct
Marketing & Digital Department