Direct life investment company Frank.net was awarded a gold, silver and bronze Loerie at the recent 33rd Annual Loerie Awards held in Cape Town, making it the 8th most awarded brand. Its campaign is a non traditional, straight talking “you die we pay’ approach.
Since its launch in November 2010, Frank.net has sold over R5bn rand in direct cover to date. According to Frank.net CEO, Lenerd Louw, the success of the high profile of the brand can largely be attributed to the fact that they have chosen their partners carefully so as to differentiate themselves in a traditional space.
“Frank.net launched with the objective of creating a new category in the direct life insurance space and to change the way people think about buying life insurance, investments and health insurance,’ he says. “The communication of Frank.net from launch has been to tell-it-like-it-is by using a straight talking approach.’
Frank.net’s advertising was conceptualised by FoxP2. “We are incredibly proud of the achievement,’ says Louw. “The brief for the new brand was to position and differentiate the brand to drive demand, create a new category, challenge the convention of complexity, engage end empower consumers with a genuine emotional connection and create high visibility and talkability.’
“We have collaborated with South Africa’s leading creative agency ensuring the chemistry comes through in all brand touch points,’ says Louw. “Our agency has helped us achieve this accolade in a short time, a fantastic achievement for a newcomer brand if you look at the more established brands receiving similar accolades at the awards.’
The winning ads are part of an integrated campaign that features television, radio and print ads for the Frank.net range of products namely, Life Cover, Serious Illness Cover, Disability Cover and Salary Protection and Frank.net is tackling the subjects head on.
Frank.net received a gold award for its radio campaign titled, “What isn’t coming,’ which also won a bronze earlier this year at the Cannes International Advertising Festival. Its television commercial, titled, “Tshabalala Account’ won a bronze Loerie in the Film and Video Communication category and a silver Loerie was received for its Integrated campaign for Frank.net products.
Charl Thom, Managing Director at FoxP2 comments that it just goes to show how creatively awarded work is also effective work and the business success of Frank.net is testament to this.
Louw adds that the brand speaks to consumers in an honest tone. “We’re a brand that would rather tell you an uncomfortable truth than a comfortable lie, a brand that talks about the unfortunate realities of death and sickness in a frank and honest tone that other brands in this space don’t feel comfortable talking about,’ he says.
“With over a billion rand’s worth of cover sold in the first four months and our business targets being met ever since, we’re seeing first-hand how the Frank tone of voice is resonating with consumers across the board. People are tired of the grey areas, the red tape, the small print, the footnotes.’
