Partners Life - The Last Performance
Partners Life needed to increase awareness and consideration for life insurance in New Zealand, one of the most underinsured countries. The client sought a disruptive campaign to jolt apathetic Kiwis into action and rethink their preconceptions about life insurance.
Creative Idea
Murdered TV characters returned from the dead to humorously lament their lack of life insurance.
Partners Life brought murdered characters from a popular TV show, "The Brokenwood Mysteries," back to life at the end of each episode to humorously lament their untimely deaths and lack of life insurance, seamlessly integrating the message to prompt New Zealanders to plan ahead.
Resurrecting the Dead to Hack the Ad Break
The Art of the Media Hack
To bypass the "ad - blindness" typical of insurance commercials, Special and South Pacific Pictures executed a seamless "media hack." They utilized the same director (Mike Smith), the same crew, and the same sets as the hit series *The Brokenwood Mysteries*. By filming six bespoke scripts contextually tied to each episode's specific murder, the ads appeared to be a continuation of the show. The illusion was so convincing that a viewer filed a formal complaint with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), claiming they had been "tricked" into watching a commercial. The ASA ultimately dismissed the case, noting the branding was clear despite the high - fidelity integration.
Reviving a Dead Idea
The campaign itself was an "idea that died and came back to life," according to ECD Lisa Fedyszyn. The concept had been pitched years earlier but was deemed too difficult to execute until the partnership with TVNZ 1 was secured. The first spot featured actress Meryl Main as "Janis," who sat up on a morgue slab to address the camera directly. This disruptive approach led to a 135% increase in website traffic and a 75% surge in direct leads to financial advisors.
Moving the Needle on Apathy
Beyond the humor, the campaign tackled the New Zealand "she’ll be right" attitude toward under - insurance. It reached 45% of the population, resulting in a 12% increase in category interest and a three - year high in brand awareness. Managing Director Naomi Ballantyne noted that the goal was to use humor to disrupt standard advertising in a market known for high insurance apathy, successfully turning a morbid topic into a national talking point.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
Partners Life possessed the courage and creative vision to tackle a serious, often-avoided topic with disruptive humor and integrated storytelling.
Category
Life insurance advertising typically relies on serious, emotional appeals or fear-based messaging, often failing to engage apathetic audiences effectively.
Customer
New Zealanders felt apathetic and had preconceptions about life insurance, needing a disruptive, memorable jolt to reconsider its importance.
Culture
The popularity of "The Brokenwood Mysteries" and a cultural openness to dark humor provided a unique, integrated platform for a serious message.
Company
Partners Life possessed the courage and creative vision to tackle a serious, often-avoided topic with disruptive humor and integrated storytelling.
Category
Life insurance advertising typically relies on serious, emotional appeals or fear-based messaging, often failing to engage apathetic audiences effectively.
Strategy:
Make the uncomfortable truth of mortality unavoidable through unexpected, integrated entertainment.
Customer
New Zealanders felt apathetic and had preconceptions about life insurance, needing a disruptive, memorable jolt to reconsider its importance.
Culture
The popularity of "The Brokenwood Mysteries" and a cultural openness to dark humor provided a unique, integrated platform for a serious message.
Strategy:
Make the uncomfortable truth of mortality unavoidable through unexpected, integrated entertainment.
Results
The campaign received positive feedback from the audience, with Natalie Hunt stating, "I thought it was part of the program. Definitely got my attention!" Media outlet "Stuff" described it as "A clever example of how brands are using television more creatively." Lance Hipkins, Head of Integration TVNZ, called it "A brilliant example of integrating brands around our TV platform." However, there was also a negative sentiment from an ASA complainant who "felt I had been tricked into watching this advertisement." Quantitatively, the campaign achieved a 135% increase to the Partners Life website across the campaign period and a 75% increase in direct leads to their financial advisors.
135%
increase to Partners Life website
75%
increase in direct leads
Strategy Technique
Attack a Boring Truth
The campaign tackled the often-avoided and morbid topic of life insurance by making it unexpectedly humorous. It transformed a dull subject into engaging, integrated content that grabbed attention.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Reverse Expectations
It subverted viewer expectations by bringing murdered TV characters back to life after their on-screen deaths. This unexpected twist delivered a memorable and impactful message about life insurance.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
This campaign's craft is exceptional in its brilliant copywriting, which innovatively repurposed existing media and characters to deliver a memorable, darkly humorous, and highly impactful message about life insurance.
The sharp, darkly humorous, and poignant dialogue delivered by the 'resurrected' characters effectively translates their fictional demise into a relatable, urgent call for real-world life insurance planning.
The original actors' ability to convincingly portray their characters' post-mortem reflections, blending the show's dramatic tone with the campaign's dark humor and direct message, was essential for the segments' authenticity.
The campaign's magic emerges from the seamless synergy between the bold, insightful ideamaking, compelling copywriting that leverages existing character personas, and authentic performances by the original actors within a meticulously maintained visual world.
