HBF’s quokkas urge Aussies to ‘Hold Out For a Zero’ in new campaign via Leo Burnett Melbourne
Following the launch of its ‘Don’t settle for a quokka sh!#’ platform earlier this year, HBF’s sassy, straight-talking quokkas are back to celebrate the health insurer’s 0% premium increase in 2020. It comes at a time when other major health insurers are following through with their premium increases, despite the fact that many Aussies are doing it tough right now.
As the second largest not-for-profit health insurer in Australia, and a champion of the people, HBF wanted to make it known that we all deserve a 0% premium increase in 2020. So, this latest campaign from Leo Burnett Melbourne is a reimagining of the classic Bonnie Tyler hit, “Holding Out For a Hero” which sees the quokkas star in an uplifting, 80’s-inspired music video pleading for Aussies to “hold out for a zero” because anything else is “a quokka sh!#”.
The campaign is supported by TV, influencers, display and even comes with an extended 60” lyric video which will be shared across social and YouTube.
Says David Greig, general manager, HBF: “We wanted to point out that, amongst health insurers, we really stand apart in the way we are supporting members during a challenging year. While our main competitors have pushed ahead with increasing premiums or have postponed increases for just a select group of members, we have cancelled our 2020 premium increase for everyone. This is what it means to be an organisation that truly puts members first. As a challenger brand, we just couldn’t resist the opportunity to make this point in our own inimitable way.
“The minute we saw ‘Holding out for a Zero’, we knew this was the idea to take to market – big, bold and uplifting.”
Holding out for a Zero is the fourth instalment from Leo Burnett and HBF. Leo Burnett won the business in a competitive pitch in December 2019, when HBF, Western Australia’s leading health insurer, decided to take its successful formula to the Eastern Seaboard. Leo Burnett enlisted the help of WA’s most iconic residents, the quokkas, to launch the brand and set the provocative challenge that people shouldn’t settle for a “quokka sh!#” when it comes to health insurance.
Says Michelle Walsh, creative director, Leo Burnett: “2020’s been a tough gig for all of us so it was nice to be able to help HBF take it to the category and deliver some good news for a change. The fact we got to do it with a bunch of singing quokkas was an absolute gift! We hope the spot gives Aussies as much light relief as the 0% increase itself.”
Client: HBF East Coast
General Manager: David Greig
Brand Lead: Maham Mahmood
Acquisition Lead: Jessica Albanese
Performance & Analytics Specialist: Sam Coughlan
Marketing Coordinator: Hollie Doherty
Agency: Leo Burnett Melbourne
Chief Creative Officer: Jason Williams
Creative Director: Jim Walsh
Creative Director: Michelle Walsh
Director of Integrated Strategy: Ilona Janashvili
Group Account Director: Kate Silver
Project Lead: Amanda Nicoll
Account Manager: Tessa Symon
Senior Broadcast Producer: Eliza Malone
Production: Mighty Nice
ECD Animation Director: Darren Price
Executive Producer: Tina Braham
Sound: Bang Bang
Engineer: Sam Hopgood Engineer
Music: Squeak E. Clean Studios
Music Supervision: Squeak E. Clean Studios
Media: OMD
16 Comments
Cummins&partners are HBF’s creative agency? Is that finished?
This did it so thank you 🙂
This is so much better than the bland blue and boring from Cummins.
Good on ya Leo’s!
Love the animation by Mighty Nice, such charming little Quokkas!!
Two different marketing teams on each coast.
Two different target audiences . Two different styles of advertising.
Are Leo’s hbf’s new agency? Was this a pitch win? Are Cummins no longer their creative agency?
This is great work Leo’s
Put a smile on my dial. Very funny and Qute.
Onya Mr and Mrs Walsh!
LOL! I like this – silly and fun.
Haha, these are great. Top work.
Go The Nice!
Funny
Hi folks . Here’s the skinny:
HBF east coast work is handled by Leo’s. And we are currently work on HBF in the West until further notice. The Quokka campaign is terrific for HBF in the east as the brand relatively unknown here. Whereas in Perth it is a legacy brand with a steeped and different history and connection to the WA community. And that means we deal with where the brand has journeyed before it even got to us. So there is a different creative responsibility . For the record i love the Quokka work and for the good of HBF i hope it works its Quokks off.
After all the negative news about Leo Burnett losing Bonds and 7/11, nice to see that they’re not only still alive but creating some killer work. Love the Quokkas.
Leo’s you’ve bought HBF to life. The west team should be working with you too!!
This is a lot of fun!!!
Ok Leo’s peeps. We get it.
Yes you’ll probably win the WA work.
Don’t have to be so obvious.