TAL’s first ever brand campaign doesn’t rely on fear of guilt to get people to take up life insurance – the traditional tools for the category. Instead BMF’s ad, This Australian Life, reminds people about everything in life that’s worth protecting.

The ad captures the spirit of what it feels like to grow up, and grow old, in modern Australia underlined by an orchestral version of Sia’s Chandelier.

Great direction by Kim Gehrig, who also directed This Girl Can for Spirt England and John Lewis’ Man on the Moon Christmas ad, adds to the allure.

“I grew up in Australia and I (very sadly) live in London. To spend time with Australians in their natural habitat, in so many different environments, from the outback, to the surf and the city… just to be with people and get a real sense of life in Australia now, was just wonderful,” she commented.

To create authentic and open performances production company, Revolver, used street casting to present a full cross section of Australians being themselves and doing what they love.

“We found real people who love what they do, and that for me was the heart of TAL. To really try and find that unique and wonderful Australian spirit,” Gehrig explained.

BMF creative director, Alex Derwin added, “Life insurance ads often end up being about death, so it’s great to make one that wasn’t. We’ve made something that pays tribute to real Australians and their unique lives, without ever tipping into sentimentality or cliché. A lot of credit has to go to the client for giving BMF and Kim the freedom to pull off something so genuine and affectionate.”

The brand campaign’s 60 second, 30 second and 4 x 15 second executions are running on TV, supported by outdoor and digital and product-focused work, centering on a new innovation which allows consumers to build their own life insurance policies to suit their own needs.

BMF managing director, Stephen McArdle noted, “The TAL team challenged us to bring meaning to the TAL name and give the brand a voice that would make Australians feel differently about life insurance. I don’t think I’ve been involved in brand launch work that answers the brief better than This Australian Life.”

Credits:

Agency: BMF

Executive creative director: Cam Blackley

Creative director: Alex Derwin

Art Directors: Dave Ladd & Nicole Hetherington

Copywriters: Dave Ladd & Simon Fowler

Designers: Dave Ladd & Lincoln Grice

Executive planning director: Christina Aventi

Group strategy director: David Warren

Managing Director: Stephen McArdle

Group account directors: Danielle Richards & Emma McJury

Senior account director: Aisling Colley

Account manager: Kimberly Ngo

Agency producer: Jenny Lee-Archer

Director: Kim Gehrig

Production company: Revolver

Managing director/executive producer: Michael Ritchie

Executive producer: Pip Smart

Producer: Serena Paull

Post production: Framestore London/The Editors Sydney

Editor: Tom Lindsay (Trim London)

Music and Sound: Chandelier (Furler/Shatkin) by The Vitamin String Quartet/Level 2/Rumble Studios

DoP: Ryley Brown

Photographer: Ali Nasseri

Creative service director: Clare Yardley

Digital Producer: Laurence Pogue

Art Buyer: Basir Salleh

Print Producers: Karen Liddle and ­­Jane Winnick

Client Credits:

Fiona Macgregor – Chief customer and innovation officer

Antony Wilson – General manager brand, marketing communications, digital and social

Cheryl Pearl – Senior manager, brand strategy

Camille Heiss – Campaign manager, brand