It’s the drivers Budget Direct rejects…

Swimming with sharks, driving home from parties, leaving the house full of pressies…Why wouldn’t an insurance company carpe diem? Budget Direct has joined Allianz on TV. It, too, has a whole new selling proposition.

303Lowe beat BMF and Host to the Budget Direct account in August. And the agency’s first campaign launched on January 2. Behind the madcap antics of its protagonist, Captain Risky, is a sensible idea: Budget Direct can provide low cost insurance because it doesn’t insure daredevils.

That’s a reassuringly sturdy platform for a cheap insurer to stand on, isn’t it?

Jonathan Kerr, director of marketing & digital for Budget Direct, noted, “This is the work that won the pitch. Budget Direct is well known for its market leading prices but we felt the need to help people understand how we can offer award winning insurance at such great prices. This campaign is designed to do just that, while building on Budget Direct’s brand personality.

“Budget Direct doesn’t believe lower risk customer’s premiums should subsidise higher risk customers premiums. At Budget Direct you only pay for your own insurance. By saying no to bad drivers, high risk takers and risky circumstances, year after year we are able to offer award winning insurance for less.”

Richard Morgan, executive creative director of 303Lowe, added, “Captain Risky is a larger than life, adrenalin-loving, front man for Budget Direct. Risk is his passion and his reason for being. He embodies all the high-risk activities that Budget Direct will not insure. He badly wants affordable insurance from Budget Direct – but, let’s be honest, he’s never going to get it, he’s just too risky.”

The campaign is running across cinema, TV, digital, social, print and outdoor with spots highlighting specific Budget Direct offerings – car insurance, home insurance and CANSTAR awards.

The campaign was directed by Hamish Rothwell with effects by Alt VFX.

Creative credits:

Agency: 303Lowe

Executive creative director: Richard Morgan
Copywriter: Sean Larkin
Art director: Adam Whitehead
Head of business management: Tony Dunseath
Business director: Sophie O’Sullivan
Head of strategy: Jon McKie
Agency producers: Amanda Cain & Sean Ascroft
Director of marketing & digital: Jonathan Kerr
General manager new customer acquisition: Paul Duggan
Campaign manager: Jenni Osborne