Green Flag on Their Revamp and New Ad

Think about industries you expect cool ads from and insurance and probably way down your list, with the exception of a Harvey Keitel here, a Churchill dog there, they are by and large interchangeable dreck you have to sit through when you're watching daytime TV. Green Flag (owned by Direct Line) want to change that with their new ad, from WCRS and directed by CANADA, so we spoke to their head of brand and marketing planning, Piers Newson-Smith, about the revamp.

Piers Newson-Smith, head of brand and marketing planning at Direct Line Group

What was the brief for this ad?

The brief was to begin to reposition Green Flag as a credible, better value provider than the AA or RAC. We know from research that consumers generally assume that the only valid model is a patrol fleet of branded vans. In the age of Uber, we want to demonstrate that we provide just as good, if not better, service through a tightly controlled network, working with trusted partners up and down the country.

What was behind the decision to revamp the brand?

The decision was made after talking to consumers and realising just how little they knew of our model. When we explain that we are a smart network, rather than a small fleet of vans, we discovered that it made the types of customer who sleepwalk into buying from the AA and RAC every year sit up and realise that there is another, great value option.

What inspirations did you have in making the ad?

Dollar Shave Club was an inspiration. The idea of shaking up a tired, uninspired industry and dragging it into today's world really appealed to us. We also love that it’s very tongue in cheek.

Which of the scenes within the ad is your favourite?

Based on consumer feedback, it's got to be the psychic and the melon! It's a strangely memorable way of making a price message stand out.

What else can we expect from this campaign?

In terms of expectations for the future, the campaign will become more provocative as we aim to shake up the breakdown service industry. Green Flag offers great value for a great service and we want to ensure that message is delivered to consumers in a straight and punchy fashion.