Liberty Positions Inclusivity At The Centre Of New Brand Campaign With TBWA Hunt Lascaris

In South Africa, life insurance is often driven by brands that place a lot of emphasis on the concept of wellness. Consumers are encouraged and rewarded for making healthy choices but also penalised for failing to live up to their lofty expectations. The result is that many consumers feel judged and humiliated when the annual, obligatory health checks come along. It's a dreadful feeling, knowing you'll never be able to live up to these unrealistic health standards.

On the other hand, Liberty believes in radical acceptance. They don't expect people to be perfect, but simply to come as they are. Because there is no such thing as perfect. And yet, why does it feel like you’re not welcome at your insurer unless you are?

"What Liberty means when we say we're in it with you is that we welcome everybody," said Marees Bostander, head of brand strategy at Liberty. "So, there's no discrimination, we don't judge, we welcome all humans."

“We’re interested in how humans behave day to day,” said Lauren Meyer, creative director at TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris. “It’s in the small, seemingly insignificant moments – the quirks and idiosyncrasies that usually get glossed over – where the truth really sits. The more specific the moment, the more universal it becomes.”

The two brand films, Awkward Friends and Games Night, were directed by Thea Small from Darling Films, who skilfully crafted these very human stories in an observational, slice-of-life kind of way. The commercials rely on pure, natural performances. There are no pyrotechnics or special effects to fall back on; if it wasn't captured on camera, then you won't see it on your screen.

In an industry that rewards perfection and penalises anything less, accepting people as they are is radical.