Case Study
For the first time in its history UK insurance provider Direct Line appointed an agency to focus on the youth market. Wilderness focused on the issue of identity in 2020 at the center of the campaign, and developed a creative route focussed on young community-minded and passionate individuals that reflect our diverse nation.
This is not ‘the diversity campaign from Direct Line’. Through storytelling, we’re giving a platform to support young problem solvers and share their work.
Many insurance brands aren’t targeting younger audiences and many in the younger audiences aren’t buying (or don’t trust) insurance.
It’s a chicken and egg situation – which comes first? Is it insurers being irrelevant and seeming untrustworthy to younger audiences, or are younger people simply ignoring insurance? Direct Line is a direct brand, not on comparison sites, so can reach audiences more authentically.
We wanted to help make Direct Line relevant not just from a marketing point of view, but through supporting younger audiences with evolved products. Insurance can and should work to help protect everyone.
Now, across the globe , young people are seeking equality and a better future. Direct Line can’t solve society’s issues but it can offer a platform to a whole new generation of problem solvers from all walks of life.
Working in collaboration with Channel 4, TCO and MediaCom we produced a film series and social campaign themed around modern identity, diversity and fairness, that examined social mobility in modern Britain.
The campaign looked at three inspiring organisations that have already had a positive impact on their local communities, and that are solving problems through addressing barriers to fairness and social mobility. These were:
Goal Diggers, an inclusive women’s football club in East London for women and non-binary people, regardless of age, experience or ability;
Exist Loudly, an organisation that creates safe spaces that prioritise joy for young, queer, black individuals
House of Cinn, a group which sells cinnamon buns and cakes to help rough sleepers get off the streets.
As part of the campaign Direct Line is supporting the three groups and their members with a mentoring programme, ongoing wellbeing and safeguarding support (provided by Beatfreeks), as well as additional funding.
The social series was supported by a wider campaign including shorter shoulder content on Direct Line’s social feed, a PR campaign and radio partnership with Bauer Media.
Reaching younger audiences has long been a challenge for insurers. For many in this group, insurance is seen as irrelevant – a cost they can afford to cut.
Not only does this leave them vulnerable when jobs and finances might be insecure, but it can translate into being underinsured as they get older.
This is a market we are investing in understanding, working with Wilderness so that we can be sure we’re making products that are truly relevant to their needs.
