Bupa's tear-jerker explores reunions with "our healthier selves"

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Entitled "The moment", the spots follow the seeming reunions of six sets of Australian siblings. Each provides an emotional scene as they see and embrace each other after what appears to have been a significantly long time apart. Each pair of siblings have similar features, but one appears much healthier and happier than the other.

At the end of each spot, it is revealed that the pairs are not actually siblings after all. Rather, they are the same person in an undescribed alternate reality. "What would you do if you met the healthier version of yourself?" the spots' tagline concludes.

Each character has a full back-story created in order to present a range of ages and health issues across the campaign.

Clemenger BBDO Melbourne Executive Creative Director, Ant Keogh, says producing the commercials was an complicated exercise.

“Each actor also played their twin, so a body-double was used as a reference point during each take," he said. "They would then swap places and shoot the action again."

“Subtle differences between the unhealthy and the healthy characters were created by makeup and prosthetic specialists,” he said.

Bupa’s director of group development, Mark Engel, says the campaign breaks the traditional model of health insurance advertising. “Rather than focusing on typical category concerns, such as claiming and pricing, we are focusing on human potential.”

“This is about a contract between you and yourself. Bupa is about helping you find a healthier you.”

Bupa says it is embarking on one of the "largest brand migrations" in Australian corporate history. It involves three previously well-known health insurance brands, HBA, MBF and Mutual Community, merging into the single Bupa brand.

'The moment' consists of a 90-second and a 30-second TV commercial, a print campaign and online banners.

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Credits

Client:

Director Group Development                                                      Mark Engel

General Manager Strategy & Transformation                  Miles Callaghan

Head of Brand Marketing                                                      Andrew Smith

Head of Marketing Services                                                      Alison Wild                  

Brand Marketing Execution Mgr                                                      Sue Brailsford

Brand Marketing Execution Mgr                                                      Carly Nankin

Agency:

Executive Creative Director                  Ant Keogh

Copywriters                                                      Andre Hull & Richard Williams

Art Directors                                                      Lee Sunter & Anthony Phillips                 

Print Producer                                                      Monique Martino

TV Producer                                                      Sevda Cemo

Executive Planning Director                  Paul Rees-Jones                 

Senior Planner                                                      Michael Hyde                 

General Manager                                    Chris Howatson

Account Director                                    Kirsten Darbyshire

Account Manager                                    Lesley Silverstone

Production:

Director                                                      Steve Rogers, Revolver

DOP/Cinematographer                                    Russel Boyd                 

Executive Producer                                    Michael Ritchie, Revolver

Producer                                                       Pip Smart                 

Production Company                                    Revolver                  

Editor                                                                    Alexandre de Franceschi, Guillotine

Flame Artists/ Compositors                  Murray Smallwood, Yann Doray, Alex Ortoll, Jess Burnheim,