Allianz Direct’s campaign is spearheaded by MullenLowe Alfred in collaboration with Usain Bolt
In January this year, the insurance company, Allianz Direct and Amsterdam agency, MullenLowe Alfred, launched a commercial in which the fastest man of earth ditched the slowest driver on earth for a car of his own and (naturally) wanted the quick insurance sign-up of Allianz Direct. The commercials simple humour and very famous star, Usain Bolt, combined to make the campaign enormously successful.
The collaboration was so successful that a new campaign has launched. This time the fastest man on earth is meant to be cultivating slowness in a yoga retreat. But learning to reflect quietly only makes him worry about his home insurance. This commercial’s hugely relatable humour highlights the value of Allianz Direct home insurance.
Like so many others, the production of the commercial was faced with the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. While the team had travelled from the Netherlands to Jamaica for the first European campaign with Usain Bolt, this was not possible during the second production. However, both Allianz Direct and MullenLowe Alfred came up with an unusual, but a very creative solution for a long-distance production.
Jorn Kruijsen, Creative Director at Alfred, explained, “We first shot the commercial in the Netherlands, using a stand-in for Usain. We made an edit and then had Usain redo the scenes for a green screen. That sounds challenging, but because we knew exactly what we needed from the Dutch stand-in, we were able to give Usain quick and efficient directions.”
Natasja Staal, a Senior Marketer at Allianz Direct, added, “We are very happy with the end result, which again fits well with our proposition to get your insurance quickly and easily online. Despite the challenges we faced due to the coronavirus pandemic, like being on set with Usain Bolt for example.”
This is Allianz Direct’s first European campaign with a clear focus on home insurance, after adding it to its portfolio in 2018.
