Budget Direct’s sleuths return to solve a classic cold case in new campaign via 303 Sydney
Budget Direct’s Sarge, Jacs and their much-loved sidekick Chief are back to solve a cold case and melt insurance rates, in a characteristically playful and cinematic new Insurance Solved campaign via agency 303 Sydney, live from today.
The new ‘Frozen’ campaign execution, directed by Hamish Rothwell via Good Oil, sees Australia’s favourite insurance sleuths head into a suburban house overtaken by ice and snow, to thaw out a frozen family and reinforce the benefits of quoting Budget Direct first.
‘Frozen’ will be seen nationally across TV, cinema, BVOD, SVOD, online, social, OOH and radio from this week, as part of the insurer’s long-standing and award-winning Insurance Solved platform. Engaging audiences streaming the Boxing Day launch of the highly anticipated second chapter of the final series of Stranger Things on Netflix is a key element of the campaign, capturing holiday viewers.
The new ‘Frozen’ campaign iteration follows the highly successful ‘Man Cave’ execution launched in August, focusing on Budget Direct’s continued track record of paying out more than $1.5 Billion in claims, over the past 12 months.
Budget Direct has won a raft of awards in the past year, having picked up the coveted Insurer Of The Year award from Money magazine, Canstar, Finder and WeMoney. Its long-standing Insurance Solved platform, developed in partnership with 303 has also been widely recognised; it picked up a Gold for Long Term Effects and Gold for Brand Value at the 2024 Australian Effies and a Bronze for long-term brand growth at the 2025 APAC Effies. The Insurance Solved campaign also ranked third in a list developed by TRA’s featuring Australia’s favourite ads from the past 12 months.
303 Sydney
Chief Executive Officer – Joanna Gray
Chief Creative Officer – Bart Pawlak
Chief Strategy Officer – Jody Elston
Creative Director – Adam Whitehead
Client Services Director – Ben Glasson
Client Service Project Lead – Jen Hird
Head of Production – Skye Lanser
Executive Broadcast Producer – Jacqueline Archer
Production Company – Good Oil
Director – Hamish Rothwell
Producer – Tracey-Lee Permall
Executive Producer – Sam Long
DOP – Crighton Bone
Edit House – ARC
Editor – Lucas Baynes
Edit Producer – Sally Quade
Post Production – Blockhead VFX
VFX Supervisor – Nigel Mortimer
Post Executive Producer – Charlotte Plowman / Laura Noonan
Original Music & Sound Post – Sonar Music
Social Media Campaign – Hello Social
Stills Photographer – Matt Baker, LOUIS & CO
Budget Direct
Chief Growth Officer, Growth Ops – Jonathan Kerr
Associate Director, Marketing, Media & Acquisition, Growth Ops – Andrea Peters
General Manager, Marketing and Communications, Growth Ops – Warren Marsh
Head of Brand, Sponsorship & PR, Growth Ops – Katie Lansdale, Jess McGown (maternity leave cover)