That sinking feeling: Rediffusion’s strategy for a financial brand

There was a time when financial services ads in India were dominated by a sense of dread and uncertainty – a fear of what the future held. Then creativity happened, and banks and insurance companies trashed their dry adverts and started forging joyful, emotional bonds with consumers.

In a new ad for ING Vysya Life Insurance, Rediffusion DY&R has attempted to strike a balance between joy and trepidation – two strong emotions that money tends to evoke. The challenge for Rediff was to communicate the ING Vysya Life Insurance (IVL) brand essence, ‘Experience the Joy of Fulfilling Your Responsibilities’, in a competitive market.

Rediffusion conducted research to understand consumer behaviour in the financial space, especially in insurance. Next, the agency developed the IVL Brand Blueprint and landed up with the core communication idea – experiencing the joy of responsibility.

The film opens on a shot of a South Indian wedding in progress. The bridegroom is being congratulated by his friends and relatives. Suddenly, the groom ‘sinks’ a little into the ground, burdened by the financial obligations and responsibilities that his future now holds for him. A jingle explains the “joy of the moment and the realisation of responsibility”.

The next vignette is that of a father in a car, just as his daughter runs to him with news of her admission to an MBA programme. He is overjoyed, but simultaneously feels the weight of his responsibility – his car sinks into the ground somewhat.

Last is the story of a young man holding his newborn baby for the first time, while the ground beneath him cracks. At this point, the ING Vysya Life Insurance advisor steps in and tells him that with the help of IVL, he need not fear happiness; IVL will help him fulfil his responsibilities with ease at every stage of life. The film ends with the couple coming out of the ING Vysya Life Insurance office and taking a confident step forward on firm ground, while the tagline goes, ‘Mera Farz’.

Financial decision making in most Indian households is the responsibility of the provider (usually men, though women do play a key role in such decision making, especially in double income households). Hence, the target group for IVL in the insurance category is males in the age group of 25-44 years, while the secondary TG is women in the age group of 25-44 years.

According to the Rediff team, cherished moments such as a wedding, the birth of a child, admission of children into premier universities or courses, or even thoughts of retirement, are very important in our lives. Each of these moments bring with them added financial and emotional responsibilities, which have to be fulfilled. It is at that precise moment when we learn about such joy that the sheer weight of our responsibility sinks into our minds. This has been juxtaposed in the ad with the actual “sinking” of the protagonists into the ground.

Source: agencyfaqs! news bureau | agencyfaqs! | Mumbai, January 14, 2008