True to the brand, FRANK launched with a launch event and daredevil stunt in Cape Town at the forecourt of the newly refurbished Cape Town Station, featuring an aerial skywalker who walked a tightrope between two cranes 60 metres high, in 35km winds and pouring rain, adding to the drama of the stunt, while a helicopter flew overhead with a banner saying “If he dies, we pay.” The stunt, which was conceptualised by FOXP2 and implemented by the company’s PR agency, Tin Can, is aimed at creating viral talkability and adding momentum to the overall advertising campaign. (View the stunt here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnN8qsLlmSg)

FRANK.NET creates a new category in the financial services arena, namely life investment with simplified stand-alone products that are simple, straightforward and plainly serve the needs of consumers, namely: life cover, serious illness cover, disability cover and salary protection. Thereafter plans are in place to launch simple investment products followed by health products, giving people direct access to investments and health insurance.

“The brief for the new brand was to position and differentiate the brand to drive demand, create a new category, challenge the convention of complexity, engage and empower consumers with a genuine emotional connection and create high visibility and talkability,” says Lenerd Louw, FRANK.NET’s CEO. “With this in mind we thought the name put forward by the agency namely FRANK, was a great fit and communicates this open, forthright and honest approach to long-term insurance and investment.”

He adds that the campaign needed to speak to consumers in an honest tone, without any of the emotional blackmail employed by many other brands in the category. “You won’t find FRANK talking about the changing seasons of your life or using cute Labrador puppies in the visuals. FRANK is tackling the subjects of death, disability, serious illness cover and retrenchment head on.”

“Simply put, if you die, FRANK pays; if you get seriously ill, FRANK pays; if you get disabled, FRANK pays; and if you get retrenched, FRANK pays.”

“A Life investment is about maintaining the quality of you or your family’s life, should you die, get seriously ill, be injured, or lose your job,” Louw explains.

He says that there is a gap in the market for a life investment company that speaks simply, honestly and directly to consumers and points out that FRANK’s approach will be one of ‘telling it like it is’.

“The essence of FRANK is to be open, transparent and forthright, tackling subject matter that others might find uncomfortable or unpalatable. If you are dying you are dying, not passing away or expiring, we call a spade a spade and cancer, cancer. Our consumers will know exactly what they get and where they stand and will be able to make an informed decision based on the transparency of our products," he says.

“Research has shown that South Africans are underinsured, and much of this is due to the complexity of the customer promise and the fact that generally people do not understand how life insurance products work.”

True to the straight talking FRANK brand, the launch will be backed up with a direct, tell it like it is, jargon-free, ad campaign underpinned with the simple, but direct message of ‘if you die we pay’, that will run across TV, radio, print, outdoor, mobile and online from tomorrow.

“All the campaigns talk to FRANK’s product range and will help consumers decide which of FRANK’s products are best suited to them,” says Louw.

Cape-based ad agency, FoxP2, which won the account in a six-way pitch, has been responsible for developing the brand name and personality, corporate identity and advertising launch campaign.

Television Commercials
“We developed a series of five TVCs with a production style that reflects the honesty of the brand,” says Justin Gomes, Creative Director at FoxP2. “They do not use any big budget slow motion shots or tricksy camera techniques – what you see is what you get. The adverts entitled, DSX, Tshabalala, Days of our Lives, Mole and Friendweb, will run across all TV stations from tomorrow.”

The television adverts were shot by award-winning director Pete Pohorsky, conceptualised by FoxP2 Senior Art Director, Michael Lees-Rolfe, and FoxP2’s Senior Writer, Gavin Williams.

“The brand essence resonates in the ads and we believe they will capture the attention of the target market,” says Louw.

Gomes illustrates, “In line with the production style, the lines of the TVCs: If you get retrenched, we pay ; when the days of your life run out, we pay; if you get cancer, we pay; when you die we pay; all illustrate the straight-talking approach that is Frank.”

As well as the five TVCs, the agency has conceptualised and created an infomercial with a never-before-seen style in this area of advertising, by using animation with humorous undertones.

The Print Campaign
Gomes comments, “The print campaign is similar in tone to the TVCs, in that it deals with subject matter others might find unpalatable in a frank way. You certainly won’t find any sepia-toned lifestyle shots in the print campaign – it features a series of copy lines that cut to the chase without any emotional-laden visual imagery.”

Louw adds, “The print advertising has been targeted at various sections of print titles and the messages have been customised depending on the placement. For example: travel sections - FRANK says, make sure your family can mourn you in Mauritius. Obituary sections – FRANK says, rest in peace. TV sections – FRANK says, don’t become a desperate housewife. Sports sections – FRANK says, if you kick it make sure your family scores, to name a few.”

The Radio Campaign
“The radio campaign is a straight-talking one, devoid of any emotional music or overblown production techniques. For example, If you’re on your deathbed, at least you’ll be able to afford silk sheets,” Gomes comments.

Louw adds, “The radio campaign will be running across various stations nationally creating top of mind awareness combined with a strong call to action”.

Louw says that the external brand team has been handpicked via a rigorous pitching process. “We have ensured we have an awesome team of partners to take the business to market including FoxP2 (advertising), Purple Cow (digital) and Tin Can (PR).”