Online car insurance specialist elephant.co.uk has aired new television commercials. The much loved man in the elephant suit has been replaced by a new look animated mascot (Trunkie) voiced by Nick Frost, star of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.
The in-house marketing team produced the new campaign following market research that revealed viewers saw elephant.co.uk cover as cheap and stripped back; a company to insure an inexpensive car with. The brand wasn't seen as the type of company customers wanted to insure a higher priced car with.
Nick Marmont, Campaign Manager for Admiral Group said, "The commercials with the man in the Trunkie suit had run their course and while they were well remembered they no longer generated appeal or warmth to the brand. However, research did show that the cartoon Trunkie used in other media such as posters, tube car panels, magazine adverts and online did have appeal.
"We wanted to appeal to the target audience of men and women, aged 23 to 35 with adverts they could identify with and raise awareness of all the benefits (courtesy car, legal protection and windscreen cover) that come as standard with an elephant.co.uk comprehensive insurance policy."
A new Trunkie was created by the creative team at parent company Admiral Group. He is slimmer but still has the powerful features of an elephant. He is also able to move, unlike his predecessor who only had one pose and arms too short to do anything with. He has been given a new style that is cooler and funkier and the voice of Nick Frost.
"Nick Frost's voice conveyed the warm and friendly qualities we needed and had a 'mate down the pub' friendliness," continued Nick Marmont.
The adverts have also been designed to communicate the benefits that come with an elephant.co.uk policy and the strap line "seriously good car insurance" will highlight to viewers that the brand is a trusted choice for car insurance.
Issue date: 25-02-08 |
