New MiWay campaign from Draftfcb 'too good to be true'

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Known in the agency as the 'myths and legends' campaign, it was conceived by art director Declan Sharp and copywriter André de Wet in response to a brief that wanted awareness built around three of MiWay's differentiators.

According to MiWay's head of marketing, Carine Conradie, the company has embraced a consumer-centric business model. This means it not only designs products, but the entire business, around its customers' needs, and it interacts with them on their terms, when and how they want to. In practical terms, this implies on the phone or via the internet, and not only between 9 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon.

"MiWay is a one-stop financial services provider that recognises the individual and designs products for that individual," she said. "Our clients are smart people with a smart mindset who want to take control over their financial services and want financial freedom. They are forward thinking and want products designed to suit them and their lifestyles and are willing to be held accountable for them.

"Accordingly, we recognise they'll want to interact with us when and where it suits them. This could be through traditional means, but also via e-mail or over the internet. Our clients want to monitor the processes they set in motion, and often will need to clarify information or make decisions regarding their insurance after hours.

"To satisfy these demands, we offer online claims tracking, online policy updating and extended call centre hours as standard product features; a fact that many consumers find almost too good to be true," she said.

'Almost too good to be true' was therefore the inspiration for the new campaign. Out of this came several vignettes loosely based on myths, fables and legends and which each contrast a MiWay standard feature with a well-known element from that tale.

For example, in two of the radio spots Morpheus's invisible cloak is equated to online tracking - 'no such thing; almost as laughable as being able to track your claim online' while on the planet Gorgothian Zorgan is berated by Zogoroth for tardiness and his excuse - being on the phone to MiWay - is dismissed out of hand because a call centre would never be open at 8 in the evening.

"The theme is carried into the television commercial using possibly the most well-known legend of all, the Yeti," added Sharp. "It opens at night in a forest where the viewer is lead to believe that two campers are talking business around a fire. They're discussing how unbelievable the MiWay offering is and how its remarkable features are almost too good to be true. As the camera pans off the campers a pair of Yetis comes into view in the foreground gesturing and chatting away. Now we realise that it has been the Yetis having the conversation all along."

The 30-second ad broke last month and will be followed by three 15-second executions. All were shot by Kojak Films (produced by Caroline Crowther of Kojak Films and directed by Hylton Tannenbaum of Bioscope Films) in one day in the Tokai Forest picnic area.

Added Sharp: "It's very difficult to find one Yeti to cast, let alone two. And then to get a great performance out of them is highly impossible! But, with the help of Hylton and crew, it all worked out well in the end, and we think we've got a commercial that's great fun and will cut through the clutter to boost viewer noting and liking for MiWay."