Hollard ad campaign features photos by staff members

The street pole ads feature photos taken by Hollardites (Hollard staff) of the things they love (and which they would want insured). These range from cats, children and bicycles to cars, jewellery and everything in between. The photos are accompanied by the message "If it's worth sharing, it's worth insuring," followed by the hashtag #loveyourstuff.

The campaign taps into the global photo sharing phenomenon through the use of genuine, unretouched photos taken on cell phones and other mobile devices. The photos will appear in series of three, nine or twelve consecutive billboards depending on the area.

Overwhelming response

"We received an overwhelming response from Hollardites when we asked them for photos of the things that matter to them and we retained the sometimes grainy look of some of the photos, because people don't post perfect photos on social media," says Heidi Brauer, chief marketing officer at Hollard.

"Photo sharing has become a phenomenon because the subject is the hero, rather than the composition or picture quality. We've also celebrated the Hollardites whose photos we used by attaching their names to their photos on the ads, in keeping with our down to earth and genuine nature. The campaign allows us to demonstrate that we understand what matters most to people and we can look after those things so people can get on with the business of living their lives to the fullest," says Brauer.

"It's been exciting working on this idea with the team. It's real. The message is clear and simple and we think it will resonate well with all sorts of people," Gordon Ray, executive creative partner at Hollard's creative agency M&C Saatchi Abel, says.

Unconventional approach

The street poles are the latest in a series of executions aimed at underscoring the insurer's unconventional take on a topic which is traditionally communicated in a rather dry, clinical fashion. The thought at the centre of the campaign, Hollard's philosophy of 'doing our stuff so you can do yours', has previously been communicated both in print and on the insurer's Instagram account (@hollardgram).

"People really just want to get on with their lives and do the things that make them happy, whether it involves spending time with their children, going mountain biking or driving on the open road with the roof down. Worrying about potential calamities detracts from these experiences and prevents people from realising their full potential. We want to take that worry away," Brauer concludes.