Karen Robson, head of marketing communications at AXA UK, and Pippa Strutt, head of external communications at AXA PPP Healthcare, discuss the story behind the brand’s #InMyCorner campaign.
What is the #InMyCorner campaign and what do you hope it will achieve?
Karen: #InMyCorner is an integrated campaign aimed to drive consideration and challenge perceptions of AXA as an insurer. The campaign idea is “every hero needs a sidekick”, with AXA being beside you every step of the way.
Pippa: To represent this idea we have used a group of cold water swimmers from Wales named The Bluetits. They are an inspirational group of women who encourage and support each other both physically and mentally, which we hope demonstrates the true power of having someone in your corner.
Why have you created a campaign which vastly different from a typical insurance industry activation?
Pippa Strutt
Pippa: Our audience are clear about what they need from us – they want us to know, support and enable them. They want us to understand that they are doing their best but sometimes they need help. We also know their key characteristics and the attitudes they share, which indicates that purchasing decisions are based on more than just price.
Karen: This is why we decided to do something different with our campaign. We don’t just focus on our products, but on how we can help our customers live their best lives.
What was the key insight which led to the creation of #InMyCorner? How did it come about?
Pippa: We commissioned a piece of ethnographic research to help us understand our key audience segments on a deeper level. Health is a very personal subject and the relationships we have with our bodies are complex. This research gave us the opportunity to really listen to our audience and understand their hopes and fears.
The unifying piece of insight we heard was that everyone was looking for a way to be the best version of themselves, but it’s hard! Making healthy choices every day isn’t always easy. We need someone in our corner, cheering us on and supporting us even when we don’t realise it.
What are the key PR and comms aspects of the campaign and how do these complement the other parts of the activation?
Pippa: We wanted authentic, human stories to be at the heart of our campaign, enabling us to talk to and start conversations with our audiences. PR and social media are strong channels for human storytelling so it felt like a natural fit.
Working with The Bluetits and Katie Piper has been a true collaboration, with Katie even joining the group for a chilly, outdoor swim. Partnering with Katie on a series of podcasts felt like a natural extension of this partnership, as has the activity we’ve developed together on Instagram.
What is the one key thing you’re doing to ensure cross-agency collaboration?
Karen: As a marketing department, we have a roster of agencies with clear and distinct specialisms. We always develop a RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed) at the start of each campaign so everyone understands the roles and responsibilities of each agency and how we can work seamlessly together.
How will you look to measure the campaign’s effectiveness?
Karen: Campaign success will be measured through KPIs set at each channel level, i.e. reach and frequency, views and engagements. The campaign is also tracked through the brand preference tracker; positive shifts in consideration and human and modern attributes will show success.
Finally, how does the campaign feed into AXA’s brand positioning?
Karen: The campaign fits in to the evidence strand of our strategy, which essentially means “don’t just say it, show me how you do it!” It’s essentially about really getting to know our customers, driving consideration and changing perceptions and ultimately positioning AXA as a valued partner.
