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Budget Direct takes on Braveheart in campaign to ‘save Australians’ from overspending

A new-world Braveheart has taken place in the latest Budget Direct commercial, with special detectives Sarge and Jac leading an army of 1,500 employees into the battle to save Australians money on their insurance.

The campaign celebrates Budget Direct’s 20th Anniversary, and is a departure from the brand’s previous supernatural-themed adverts.

Mounted on horseback, Sarge and Jac declare that with 3m Australians signed up, there is now 22m for the army to continue to fight for.

One employee, Karen, is so enthused by the speech she charges forth ahead of her colleagues.

 

In previous iterations of the campaign, Sarge and Jac have encountered other-worldly beings and extraterrestrial mysteries, but been far more focused on the conundrum of why Australian consumers overpay for insurance.

Chief marketing officer at Budget Direct, Jonathan Kerr, said the campaign created by 303 Mullen Lowe captured the spirit of the company by using real employees.

“We made this advert to celebrate the amazing team of people that make Budget Direct the success it is today and to thank the millions of Aussies that have trusted us to provide their insurance in our first 20 years,” Kerr said.

“We have a very positive story to tell, one that has helped countless Aussies save, while also being there for them at claims time. We hope our advert serves as a very positive reminder of what can be achieved when people get behind a common goal.”

Nick Cleaver, CEO of 303 Mullen Lowe, said the spot reflects the passion of Budget Direct’s people.

“Budget Direct is a challenger brand driven by a very special bunch of people with a passion for delivering quality insurance products at a lower cost. As an organisation they have the underwriting smarts to deliver that but as important is the zeal of their people and the culture of the company. This epic commercial vividly brings that passion and drive to life while also having a little fun at the same time,” Cleaver said.

Budget Direct is also using the launch of the campaign to announce a range of measures it had implemented to assist customers and the community during the COVID-19 crisis.

The first is introducing financial hardship assistance options to help eligible customers significantly financially burdened by the crisis maintain their insurance coverage. Budget Direct is also offering free access to its Money Manager app that helps users manage their daily finances.

Small and medium-sized suppliers are being paid out faster to improve their cash-flow.

Budget Direct’s annual fundraising donation for the Act For Kids charity was brought forward to April, with $135,000 going to the charity. And, this month Budget Direct will announce the recipients of the $100,000 Budget Direct Bushfire Recovery Fund that was committed to in February.

The 20th anniversary campaign was shot by Danny Kleinman through Rattling Stick / Good Oil Films and photographed by Mat Baker through Lois & Co.

It will launch on 19 April across metro and regional television, Foxtel, BVOD and YouTube.

Credits

Budget Direct
Chief Marketing Officer – Jonathan Kerr
General Manager – Brand & Media Marketing: Warren Marsh
Marketing Manager – New Customer Acquisition: Catherine Harty

303 MullenLowe
Executive Creative Director – Scott Huebscher
Head of Art – Adam Whitehead
Head of Copy – Sean Larkin
Art Director – Zac Goldberg
Copywriter – Craigo Merrett
Managing Director – Joanna Gray
Group Business Director – Ben Glasson
Head of Strategy – Jon McKie
Head of Broadcast – Meredyth Judd

Production Partners
Production Company – Good Oil Films / Rattling Stick
Director – Daniel Kleinman
DOP – Ginnie Loane
Executive Producers – Sam Long / Johnnie Frankel
Producer – Chana McLallen
Editor – Mark Burnett @The Editors
Post Production – alt.vfx
VFX Supervisor – David Edwards
VFX Producer – Celeste Fairlie
Music and Sound Company – Sonar Music
Executive Producer – Sophie Haydon
Sound Designer – Timothy Bridge
Stills Photographer – Mat Baker, LOUIS & CO
Stills Digi Op – Carl Baker, LOUIS & CO

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