NRMA promotes everyday heroes with ‘Help is who we are’ campaign
NRMA Insurance has launched a new television commercial featuring everyday heroes who go out of their way to help.
The one-minute ad, which is backed by a cover of Hunter & Collectors’ ‘Throw Your Arms Around Me’, features everyday Australians helping others when they are injured or in need.
NRMA Insurance’s first ad of 2018 shows a family fleeing a storm, a surfer helping a man in the surf, a mother attending to her injured daughter, NRMA helping a broken down car, a volunteer firefighter helping a Koala in a fire, and a group of people pushing a train to help a man free his jammed leg.
Spectators and the heroes sing Throw Your Arms Around Me as they complete their tasks.
The ad concludes with the tagline ‘Help is who we are’.
NRMA handed its creative account to The Monkeys in September last year, moving away from incumbent agency M&C Saatchi.
In December, The Monkeys launched its first work for the insurer entitled ‘Long Way’.
Abigail Dawson was Mumbrella's senior content journalist covering event content. She left Mumbrella to move into an agency role in 2020.
Linkedin
How disrespectful! Imagine the NRMA trying to escalate themselves to the level of our great Rural Fire Services – and the genuine volunteers that selflessly risk their own safety to genuinely help others!
I think running into the fire storm of an Australian bush fire is a touch more heroic and helpful – than attending a broken down car!
Get Real – Disrespectful and exploitive by the NRMA – no idea!
User ID not verified.
I wonder if they have settled all disaster claims yet, in full, and rapidly.
User ID not verified.
Pft……..good point you raise. Considering their commercial and the fact that “Help is who we are” – no doubt they are still out in the field, tackling bush fires, cleaning up, (oh….and saving drowning surfers at the same time).
This is self indulgent, off the mark advertising. Constructed by advertising people with no sense of reality – and no real care beyond the next latte – and that’s just at the Client side!
User ID not verified.
How are the words ‘ I will squeeze the life from you’ whilst showing a koala being fed with a water bottle a positive message?
User ID not verified.
“Throw our arms around me” is a song about lust and is a poorly chosen song for the message that NRMA is trying to convey. “I will kiss you in four places” – “so shed your skin and let’s get started” – ?!?
BTW, terrible cover of an iconic song.
User ID not verified.
Very true Confused……it’s an appalling commercial. It confuses the message – I’m not sure “who’s who” in the spot….are the NRMA staff saving Koalas then assessing insurance damage. The song is brilliant – but a terrible choice for this spot. It annoys me to see wasted money, wasted efforts and a wasted media budget – because there is a Client with no genuine strategic sense or capability.
This happens too often – it’s the Clients fault being directed by a self-indulgent agency.
User ID not verified.
I am sure the words from the Hunters and Collectors song “throw your arms around me” are intended to evoke feelings of a warm hug needed after a disaster but this song, as mentioned by others in these comments, is not about that…and there are children featured in the scenes at times when the lyrics make me cringe…I can’t watch this ad because to me it is poorly thought out and just wrong. I love the song though but not done like this.
User ID not verified.
I cannot stand this ad. Hate hate hate the rendition of throw your arms around me. I have to mute or change channel every time it is on. They wrecked a good song and doesn’t depict enough what NRMA actually does.
User ID not verified.
The last couple of NRMA ads just keep getting worse. Time for a new marketing department?
User ID not verified.
The song https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/music/australia-culture-blog/2014/feb/25/hunters-and-collectors-throw-your-arms-around-me
User ID not verified.
I hate this pretentious ad and the song that goes with it.
User ID not verified.
Why is a song about a one night stand used in this commercial? Doesn’t sit right. Also agree with many comments above re exploitation and alignment with RSF and the weird shot with the koala in time with “squeeze the life from you”.
User ID not verified.
This version sounds more like the Grimm Reaper. I’ll raise you from your sleep, squeeze the life right from you? Not someone /something I’d trust or run towards. Didn’t even recognise it as the original song. Very, very wrong.
User ID not verified.
This is the worst! Totally off the mark, and I 100% agree that it is so disrespectful to try to align themselves with the RFS. Not to mention the fact that they’ve simply ripped off viral YouTube clips and re-staged them.
The song is entirely inappropriate and a cringeworthy cover. Whatever happened to the awesome advertising company that brought us the NRMA job applicant running late for his interview because he stopped to help a driver with a flat tyre. That was gold, this is poo.
User ID not verified.
I like this ad and found it quite moving. A song is open to interpretation. Whether it won me over to nrma is a another question….
User ID not verified.
I don’t like this ad one bit. It makes me very angry. I tell everybody I meet about this ad and my feelings. Most people are very supportive.
User ID not verified.
It’s an absolute shocker!
User ID not verified.
I second this. “Kiss you in four places?” It’s about having sex with someone. And what four places would they be?…a dumb choice to convey insurance and totally ruin the song.
User ID not verified.
It’s a song about sex. With children in the ad. For an insurance company. WTF?
User ID not verified.
Great work by the marketing team. Absolute geniuses.
Also an absolute genius move to keep airing the ad after all the negative publicity. Pure genius.
User ID not verified.
Just awful. Doesn’t do anything for NRMA – bad ads actually put people off the product.
User ID not verified.
The end of copywriting – buy a song and shoot some pictures to it. Very lazy.
Did they use the outtakes from this commercial to make the new Westpac ad? Same HELP concept, same execution. Whatever happened to the USP?
User ID not verified.
I was wondering if others felt the same about this ad and the comments confirm my thoughts. Inplys that NRMA is responsible for all these helping situations. I’m an NRMA customer but this ad turns me off them.
User ID not verified.
Literally hate the way they sing this song that voice who ever is singing cannot sing at all
Cannot stand it it drives me nuts
Plus the bit with the koala “squeeze life out of u”
Wtf not appropriate at all
User ID not verified.
Totally inappropriate song for this commercial. How many Execs in NRMA and their ad agency approved this? They should have the life squeezed out of them. Who knew it was for NRMA anyway? I thought it was for emergency services. NRMA have wasted their money.
User ID not verified.
Came here just to rant.
Hate the ad. Can’t stand it
User ID not verified.
I echo the other comments. I loathe this ad and the song as well, and the version they use is mournful and annoying. I have to walk out of the room or change the channel whenever this ad comes on (and it’s on frequently – it must be costing a fortune.) This ad (and a song about sex, lust, and a one night stand) does nothing for the NRMA’s brand – their marketing department and agency are deluded if they think it is appropriate. What NRMA staff are ever out in the field fighting bush fires, saving wildlife and rescuing people from floods and other natural disasters? The NRMA is kidding themselves. It is a huge stretch to associate the NRMA with heroes of the calibre of fire fighters and rescue people. Perhaps if they positioned this ad as “saluting our local heroes” instead of trying to convince us that the NRMA is right up there with them, it might, might be more believable. Did they ever test and research this concept before going into production? Truly awful ad and extremely poor judgement by NRMA and their agency.
User ID not verified.
Absolutely agree, bloody disrespectful to the REAL heroes!!!
User ID not verified.
I agree that the NRMA should be ashamed of aligning themselves with REAL heroes like the RFS & Westpac Rescue. NRMA do great work but get real guys, there is a HUGE difference…by the way, the song is about a stalker so they REALLY got that wrong as well!!!
Disrespectful to the extreme.
User ID not verified.
Get rid of ad agency NOW! Has no idea – CORNY ad. Absolute waste of time and money spent by NRMA. Crimge every time it’s on.
User ID not verified.
Agree! Two corny ads – what a joke
User ID not verified.
I like it too. Very moving.Makes me cry every time. Everybody is overthinking and nitpicking
User ID not verified.
I had the idea for this ad when I was 12 and was listening to this song playing in an old NRMA shop whilst mum paid our insurance premium. I scrawled the idea on a napkin and then ate it.
User ID not verified.
Can’t understand what the hell is being spoken.
User ID not verified.
Seriously, NRMA sell insurance to you, you pay, they may if your lucky pay you a max amount. They help themselves.
User ID not verified.
So glad others turn off the tv/lower the volume when this idiotic ad is on. The singer sounds drunk, she slurs her words and her accent is appalling “throw yer arms around mayeee”? What the? I also shook my head at the lyrics. Squeezing life from a koala? Seriously. Kiss you in 4 places? What were they thinking?
User ID not verified.
What a creepy ad. For the first half the Lyrics are so out of place. Why is the fireman squeezing the life out of the poor little koala? I reckon they should have gone with the Beatles. Help me if you can I’ve broken down and I do appreciate you being round. Help me get my wheels back on the ground, won’t you please, please help me. Help me!
User ID not verified.
Great ad and perfect song choice in terms of an anthem.
Conveys well.
Appears some competition to the ad agency are posting on here – LOL, overanalysing an ad. So funny
User ID not verified.
Hi Alex,
You must be from the IAG marketing team I assume.
Believe it or not the sentiment towards this ad is pretty consistent across all forms of social media and also the advertising community as evidenced by this thread.
Nice try though.
Cheers,
Gavin.
User ID not verified.
Sorry, Alex but it really smells like the monkeys farted.
User ID not verified.
NRMA have a history of bad ads. First the Broncos, now kissing us in 4 places.
Probably the same juvenile latte sipping advertising company who gave us Suncorp and the stupid child.
User ID not verified.
The worst ever NRMA ad. I don’t think they know what they stand for anymore and this ad just adds to the confusion. Thwyve portrayed themselves something they are not. What a waste of shareholders money.
User ID not verified.
Agree the worst ever advert by NRMA. I’m actually embarrassed for them.
User ID not verified.
I hate this version of an iconic song.
If you know the song youll agree its totally unappropriate for the topic. Feels like some hipsters from UK found a classic song and shoehorned it into the ad.
Im with others here… i mute or change channels.
Tip… sack marketing dept and use funds to reduce premiums.
For thr CEO…i give the ad 1 out of 10. How many other opinions lime mine before you pull these ads and stop the insult
User ID not verified.
The actors are familiar in some way and I think they are American, particularly the girl in the car with what looks like a cornfield through the distance out from the window. It looks like the advert was also filmed in USA. The locations and the people just don’t look like or come across as Australians. It’s something in their attitude and movement and the landscape. A strange advert indeed!
User ID not verified.
I am surprised this ad has been allowed to stay on air. NRMA you are providing a paid service – nothing like the volunteers you are likening yourselves to. Missed the mark big-time!
User ID not verified.
This is the most dumb and cringeworthy commercial in recent memory ( apart from the stupid Suncorp ads ) it is a total crock of try hard sentimental shite.
Whoever thought this was a great idea deserves to be fed bananas for a year – not big bucks ! Minus 10 out of 10 !
User ID not verified.
Time for a new agency more like
User ID not verified.
Ron. Yes The NRMA does great work.
But this TVC is for NRMA Insurance, a separate organisation with no links to the member-owned motorists’ organization.
That’s what makes this ad so objectionable…
User ID not verified.
Instead of gasbagging about it, perhaps stop hiring creatives fresh out of award school and get a few people with international experience. Australia only monotinises Australia to Australians . Unfortunately they’ve even grown bigger than that.
User ID not verified.
Most annoying song on an ad ever!
User ID not verified.
This ad should not be allowed to have any airtime. Such a bad song choice. My children thought I was a song about a preditor.
User ID not verified.
Squeeze the life from you whilst holding koala, I wish I was paid the mo
ney to market your brand. This upsets me every time, the score is so poorly timed with the visual. Did anyone think how to match images with musical score. Have learnt to hate this song thanks to you!.
User ID not verified.
It must be very satisfying to see your childhood vision brought to life.
User ID not verified.
Hi, just after the name of the photographer who took the photo for the firefighter with the koala, I would love to draw it please! Cheers Jo
User ID not verified.
Hi I was wondering if anyone knew who the videographer for the koala clip is? I’ve been trying to find someone to contact as I want to do a painting of it and to thus sell to raise money for the bushfires but I’m a bit scared because of copyright! Thanks!
User ID not verified.