Australian insurer celebrates clumsy athletes-in-the-making amid Olympics /

Find a workaround / Just because you’re not an official sponsor of a major event, doesn’t mean you can’t cash in on some of the buzz. By reframing kids’ everyday antics as aspirations of the next generation of athletes, AAMI taps into the excitement and interest around the Paris Olympics without having to mention the games specifically. Other brands that haven’t let endorsement fees or sponsorship regulations get in their way include Uber Eats, which activated around the Rugby World Cup despite being prohibited from mentioning it in its ads, and Brahma, which created a beer-inspired hairstyle to circumvent Brazilian football sponsorship regulations around alcohol. In a different category, cannabis brand Stok’d side-stepped advertising regulations by promoting neighbouring businesses instead, driving in-store sales up 8%. All are great examples of how creative constraints can unlock a more engaging or interesting strategy for your brand: sometimes, going around ad restrictions and playing the underdog role is far more effective (at least in terms of earned media) than going the official route. For more on the topic, check out our Circumvent Advertising Restrictions Creative Tactic.

Don’t forget to be human / This campaign is based on the instantly recognisable insight that kids’ hare-brained schemes can cause serious damage. Connecting insurance to something human and meaningful sets out the need for insurance as well as demonstrating an understanding of customers’ everyday lives. Sure, the insurance category is no stranger to a montage of chaotic accidents, but this is a particularly well-crafted example, and has a generous tone. Kids will be kids, and parents are invested in their children’s dreams, even if that means the odd dent in a wall or fixing a window. That’s what insurance is for. And in a low-interest category in which most people’s policies renew automatically, capturing audiences’ attention in this way could make all the difference. For more examples of insurance brands finding human-centric angles in their advertising to connect with customers on an emotional level, read our case study on fellow Aussie insurer NRMA, or check out our Best of Insurance collection.