Ad Review: Bates141’s ‘Health Promise Movement’ for Max Bupa

Selling financial products has never been easy. Unlike consumer products that can be displayed through various shelves, financial products have fewer ways to reach out to the audience. Advertising insurances in India is all the more arduous as there are so many players offering the same thing.

Bates141, however, has taken a different approach for Max Bupa’s health insurance, playing on the idea of health insurance of people one loves the most.

The Max Bupa Health Promise Movement is a pan-India initiative coined by the Bates team. The campaign comprises a platform ‘www.yourhealthfirst.in’ that enables people to put their and their loved ones health first. It is the centre point combining communication on other mediums as well. The website is an interactive medium inviting people to share their health concerns, provide health information, actionable tips, and expert advice and also link them to specialist health care services.

Client: Max Bupa
Product: Max Bupa Health Insurance
Agency: Bates141
Medium: Television, Digital, Print

The Creatives:
Apart from the online platform, three commercials have been released as part of the campaign, along with jingles on radio, promoting the idea of taking health promise for the ones you love. The communication on these mediums also urges consumers to log on to the online platform to take the promise. Once the promise is made, there is a complete engagement package that engages with people who have made health promises and people for whom the health promises are made.

Speaking on the idea behind the campaign and how it differentiates from others, Shefali Chhachhi, Director - Marketing, Max Bupa, said, “We wanted to start a movement that nudges people into healthier living - a movement that helps people take a conscious step towards becoming healthy and encourage them to take out some time from their busy schedules to make a beginning towards healthy living. The Max Bupa Health Promise campaign attempts to do just that by asking people to take health promises for their loved ones and Max Bupa in turn will help the people keep their promises with expert advice, health information and much more. Most insurance companies have always sold insurance or for that matter health insurance through fear – fear of life or fear of losing wealth. We wanted to talk to people about their health and their worries related to health.”

“Health is low on priority for us Indians and we wanted to address that,” said Sambit Mohanty, Executive Creative Director, Bates141, adding, “We are more worried about disruption diseases (flu, etc.) rather than chronic and serious illnesses. Further, we keep swaying between the feeling of ‘Nothing’s going to happen to me’ to ‘what is inevitable is inevitable’. With that in mind, we wanted to start a movement that discusses benefits of healthier living. Our TVCs use slice-of-life situations with a humorous twist - we're sure most people would identify with them. And judging by the great response to the ads, each one of them has connected in a unique way.”

The Execution:

The commercials depict real life situations discussing common health issues like obesity, smoke addiction and diabetes. The voiceover in each commercial says “Apno ki good health ke liye health promise lijiye...log on to www.yourhealthfirst.in”, promoting the idea of health promise.

Expert Opinion:

Elvis Sequeira, National Creative Director, Cheil Worldwide, felt that while the message was clear, the brand was missing from it. He added, “I think the commercials are well intentioned, but miss the point, and that's because the idea isn't sharply thought through and needs several steps on the viewer's part to get to what the brand is trying to say. Do we understand it's about insurance? Yes. Do we get the insight that a family is more concerned about your health than you are? Yes. Do you want the head of the household to take a health promise? Sure. Now what's the brand doing in all this? Dunno.”

So, would the message through ads lead to actions? No – observed Sequeira, explaining, “I wouldn't expect a dramatic response from audiences, it's not like Facebook or YouTube will go buzzing with likes or comments. The idea doesn't break new ground, because the strategy is lazy. Don't blame the creative guys. It's fairly literal and in familiar territory, health drinks, supplements, they've all gone down the exact same path. So saying 'take a health promise' at the end isn't going to make it different.”

How many stars – ‘One, for cuteness, especially the lift episode,” said Sequeira.

Commenting on the ads, Nirmal Pulickal, Executive Creative Director, North & East, DDB Mudra, said, “I think the commercials are terribly trite, at every level, as the insights are dull. The script is boring and looks like people in client servicing wrote it. The performance of the old man in the smoking ad is so amateur it is shocking. I am not sure if the ad will register with the viewers as it is hardly innovative. If I am a viewer, I don’t know if it will make me think any better of Max Bupa.”

Our take:
The idea of taking a health promise for the ones you love appeals, but the commercials do not make a strong impression on one’s mind to stand up and act. There is no dearth of platforms that provide Information on health and measures to be taken for it, the ads do not give any reason further to the viewer to go and register on yourhealthfirst and be a part of the movement. The choice of instances like Gulab Jamun, Lift and Smoking is definitely smart as it would surely get the families talking.

Stars: 3 out of 5.

Credits:
Creative: Sambit Mohanty, Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar
Account Management: Sandeep Handa, Srijib Mallik
Production: Chrome Films
Director: Hemant Bhandari
 

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)