Central Beheer: Automobile Show
Centraal Beheer needed to reinforce its brand as the reliable insurer for unexpected life events among a broad Dutch audience. The client sought a memorable, humorous campaign that continued the "Even Apeldoorn Bellen" legacy, emphasizing their personal contact and convenience.
Creative Idea
A giant bird unexpectedly disrupted a car show, humorously dramatizing life's unpredictable mishaps.
Centraal Beheer humorously depicted a lowrider car show turning chaotic with a giant bird performing the "chicken dance," creating a memorable, absurd scenario that reinforced their "Even Apeldoorn Bellen" message for unexpected problems.
The Birdie That Bounced a Lowrider
A Cinematic Milestone in Apeldoorn
This 2012 production marked the 52nd installment of the iconic "Even Apeldoorn bellen" series, a campaign that has run since 1985. To maintain the high production standards expected by the Dutch public, the agency collaborated with DDB & Tribal Amsterdam and the production house CZAR. The film was directed by Bart Timmer, a director renowned for his ability to balance high - concept visual effects with deadpan comedic timing.
Engineering the Chicken Dance
The production required a sophisticated blend of practical effects and CGI to make the giant bird's movements feel grounded in reality. The "lowrider" cars featured in the commercial were not just props; they were authentic, hydraulically modified vehicles capable of the "hopping" seen in the film. The humor relies on the contrast between the gritty, urban subculture of car shows and the absurdity of a mascot performing a "chicken dance" that inadvertently triggers a catastrophic chain reaction.
Cultural Legacy and Longevity
By the time this ad aired, the phrase "Even Apeldoorn bellen" had already transitioned from a corporate slogan into a permanent fixture of the Dutch lexicon, used by citizens to describe any minor disaster. This specific execution was designed to modernize the brand's image for a digital audience while staying true to the "schadenfreude" formula that made Centraal Beheer one of the most recognized insurance brands in the Netherlands. The campaign's success helped the brand maintain a top - of - mind awareness score that consistently outperformed competitors with larger media spends.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
Centraal Beheer had a long-standing reputation for humorously depicting everyday mishaps, reinforced by their iconic "Even Apeldoorn Bellen" tagline.
Category
Insurance advertising often focused on fear or dry facts; this campaign broke from convention with lighthearted, memorable storytelling.
Customer
Audiences wanted relatable entertainment that acknowledged life's unpredictability without being overly dramatic or preachy.
Culture
The cultural appreciation for quirky humor and viral, shareable content made the absurd scenario resonate widely.
Company
Centraal Beheer had a long-standing reputation for humorously depicting everyday mishaps, reinforced by their iconic "Even Apeldoorn Bellen" tagline.
Category
Insurance advertising often focused on fear or dry facts; this campaign broke from convention with lighthearted, memorable storytelling.
Strategy:
Leverage unexpected, humorous chaos to reinforce the brand as the go-to solution for life's unpredictable moments.
Customer
Audiences wanted relatable entertainment that acknowledged life's unpredictability without being overly dramatic or preachy.
Culture
The cultural appreciation for quirky humor and viral, shareable content made the absurd scenario resonate widely.
Strategy:
Leverage unexpected, humorous chaos to reinforce the brand as the go-to solution for life's unpredictable moments.
Strategy Technique
Exaggerate to Reveal the Truth
The campaign exaggerated life's unpredictable mishaps by introducing a giant, dancing bird at a car show. This absurdity revealed the truth that unexpected problems require reliable insurance solutions.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Embrace the Weird
The campaign embraced the weird by featuring an absurd, giant bird disrupting a car show with a "chicken dance." This surreal, unexpected element created a highly memorable and distinct commercial for Centraal Beheer.
Explore Technique
