2008
(10/10/2008) AXA 'Redefines Standards' with bold new integrated campaign
AXA demonstrates confidence with distinctive creative, media 'firsts' and a focus on the company's trustworthiness at a time of consumer cynicism
AXA, one of the UK's market leaders within the financial services sector, is to launch a fully integrated advertising campaign through Saatchi & Saatchi and Team Saatchi, which highlights how consumers deserve the highest standards of customer service from financial services companies. It is a bold, positive statement that reflects the company's long-term aim to be the UK's most trusted financial provider. The campaign also focuses on specific promises across AXA's General Insurance and Healthcare businesses.
Following the introduction of AXA's new, global brand promise and strapline, 'Redefining Standards', in May this year, there will be executions across four media channels - TV and consumer press, online and outdoor - all featuring the core visual brand asset of the 'Switch' as a creative differentiator. The 'Switch' is a red 'slash' appearing in the AXA logo which signifies the departure from past expectations of AXA and the reality of AXA's offering today and going forward. The campaign marks the beginning of a long term strategy to grow customer trust and the 'Switch' now also features in the strapline 'Redefining / Standards' symbolically drawing a line under the past.
The campaign breaks on the 13th October and will run until the end of the year. Each element conveys AXA's positioning as the financial protection company that proves it is worth trusting - something which is increasingly relevant for customers in today's unpredictable financial climate. The total media spend for the campaign is over £4 million.
Outdoor
Using the Central Line (the red line on the underground map) to represent AXA's red 'Slash', the outdoor element incorporates two media firsts. Firstly AXA will take all TCPs on the Central Line, thereby dominating the line over a two-week period - an innovative approach and something no other brand has ever done before. 85 trains with 680 carriages will carry over 10,000 panels of AXA advertising.
AXA branding will be also used on the "silver centres" in between escalators at certain Central Line stations (Bank, Liverpool Street, Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street) - another 'paid-for' media first for a brand. Escalator domination with digital screens at specified Central Line stations will be bringing the campaign to life. Posters will dominate selected station platforms, e.g. at Liverpool Street station AXA will be on all cross track sites of the west bound Central Line.
TV
Saatchi & Saatchi and Team Saatchi's TV executions will include a 'Brand Manifesto' ad that makes a call for customers to make a stand against unacceptable, substandard service in favour of a better approach - an approach which AXA is now proposing for it's customers and prospects.
The other TV ad highlights AXA's promise to dedicate a claim handler to each customer claiming in the event of water damage and thereby alleviating the frustration a customer can feel when dealing with a number of different claim handlers. The ads will launch in ITV's Coronation Street, Channel 4's Dispatches and Five's Unbreakable. Advertising is scheduled during property/home improvement programming and other programmes such as Wired, Wire in the Blood, Gordon Ramsay Cookalong Live and Prison Break among others. 4,150 spots are booked in October but the campaign will continue to run to the end of the year.
The ads are illustrated by Joe Magee, an illustrator and artist with a reputation for being brave and controversial, and he provides AXA's campaign with a look that is a real departure from the norm in financial services advertising. The ads will appear in national, regional and financial sector press.
Online
On-line homepage take overs on MSN and AOL will deliver 98 million impressions on home insurance and 37.2 million impressions for AXA PPP.
Olivier Mariée, Group Marketing Director of AXA said: "Redefining standards is not just a tagline. It is the way we want to change our industry and build trust with our customers. The message and our new campaign is bold, but we want to change and we know how we want to change for the benefit of our customers. We believe that this campaign will successfully set us apart from other financial services companies: it is a positive, upbeat message at a time of uncertainty for many people."
Laetitia Rennie, Director of Client Services, Team Saatchi said: "Our creative approach recognises the shifting relationship that people have with their financial services providers in life, and gives them permission to expect something different from AXA. Change is not always an easy step for people to take, but we know that all the disillusioned and disaffected people out there will recognise themselves in this advertising which invites them to come on a journey with AXA from the land of promise to the land of proof: it invites them to make a stand for something better.
By focusing on the reality and possibility of a refreshing new approach, this campaign is a big first step towards inspiring loyalty beyond reason for AXA in the world of finance and insurance."
Media is planned and bought through Mindshare. A PR campaign, managed by Paratus Communications, is also planned to reinforce the advertising messages.
- Ends -
Enquiries - AXA UK
Sandra McLaughlin 020 7920 5131 or 07974 830181
Steph Smith/Dominic Shales 020 7404 6691
Paratus Communications
About AXA
AXA UK is a part of the AXA Group. AXA Group is a worldwide leader in Financial Protection. AXA's operations are diverse geographically, with major operations in Europe, North America and the Asia/Pacific area. IFRS revenues amounted to €94 billion for the full year 2007.
The AXA ordinary share is listed on Eurolist A of Euronext Paris under the ticker symbol CS (ISIN FR0000120628 - Bloomberg: CS FP - Reuters: AXAF.PA). The American Depository Share is also listed on the NYSE under the ticker symbol AXA. Our previous company performance is not a guide to how we may perform in the future.