Real Dreams Come to Life for Old Mutual

Old Mutual, a trusted brand with over 168 years’ experience helping South Africans achieve their financial goals, has shattered the personal financial planning paradigm with the launch of their Financial Lifestyle Solutions campaign.
 

At the same time, it has broken the mould when it comes to communicating with its target market by giving real people with real personal financial goals, the opportunity to experience their future dreams.
 

These experiences have been captured on film, and used in a stirring integrated television, radio and print and Out of Home campaign devised by Old Mutual’s marketing communication partner, Draftfcb Johannesburg.
 

 
Karen Thomas, Marketing Executive at Old Mutual, explained: “According to the Old Mutual Savings and Investment Monitor less than 20% of South Africans are very confident when it comes to making financial decisions. In fact, having to consider and discuss their finances is extremely stressful.

 
“Moreover, more than 80% of people surveyed also want to learn more about how to save, another reason the right financial advice is so critical”

 
“As a result of the anxiety we feel, most of us experience decision-making paralysis ... and put off taking important decisions that could have a major impact on our financial well-being - that’s why advice and planning is so important for your financial wellbeing.
 

“Each customer has unique goals and dreams, and each dream needs a plan!

 
“In addition, we wanted to highlight that Old Mutual is committed to partnering with customers to reach their dreams and goals through life’s journey, and at whatever life stage they may be, with the right advice and a financial plan.
 

“We therefore briefed Draftfcb Johannesburg and Hero Strategic Marketing to show South Africans that Old Mutual’s Financial Lifestyle Solutions offer a holistic approach to financial wellness. It’s been very fulfilling and exciting to have two agencies work together on this fully integrated through-the-line marketing campaign.”
 
“One of the key principles guiding our response to Old Mutual’s brief is that people engage less with future events than they do with the present,” said Draftfcb Johannesburg Managing Partner, Heidi Nelson. “So, we wanted to help consumers see the relevance of future ambitions in today’s reality.
 
“We asked ourselves ‘What if we could bring our customers’ future ambitions and aspirations into the present?’ and then set out to do just that.”
 
 
 
The resulting campaign, which also includes outdoor and digital media elements, took six real people who had financial goals and let each of them experience their dreams, years before they actually happen. 

 
Quinton, 26, wants to travel through Africa and own a game lodge when he retires. Old Mutual made it possible for him to visit a game lodge to learn how a real game lodge works and experience his dream 40 years before it happened.
 
Magauta has a 9-year-old daughter who wants to be a professional musician. Old Mutual arranged for her to play with the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra. Not only did her dream ‘come’ true 15 years early,  but it made Magauta realise how glad she was that they had already started saving for their daughter’s education early.
 

These two stories became the television commercials, which were directed by Miles Goodall of Sweet Spot Content.

 
The other four real customers used in the campaign were Grace, who dreams of owning her own art gallery; Tascha, whose retirement dream is to take photographs of city skylines; Naledi, whose son wants to be a pilot; and Andrea, who dreams of running a wildlife sanctuary.

 
Old Mutual made each of their dreams come true for a day, making them release that they are on the right track for having started early and putting a plan in place.

“In an industry cluttered with adverts that use complex metaphors, scare tactics and confusing jargon to get potential customers to invest, Draftfcb Johannesburg decided to cut through all this stuff with a down-to-earth, inspiring campaign that makes use of actual customer stories, making it real and believable,” said Nelson.
 
“We believe the resultant campaign inspires customers to ‘Do Great Things’, and that this will help Old Mutual realise their goal of helping South Africans reach their dreams no matter their lifestyle, or their lifestage.”
 
 
Credits:
 
Client:
Old Mutual
 
Creative:
 
Agency:
Managing Partner: Heidi Nelson
Business Unit Director: Portia Tapfumaneyi
Group Account Directors: Alison Pegg & Francois van der Merwe
Strategic Planner: Ryan Parkhurst
Executive Creative Director: Jonathan Deeb
Creative Director: Erin Brooks
Copywriter: Mohlalifi Lentsoane
Art Director: Kyra Antrobus
TV Production: Vanessa Borthwick
 
Production house: Sweet Spot Content
Director:  Miles Goodall
Production Designer: Gareth Paul
Producer: Linda Notelovitz
Editor: Nic Goodwin (Left Post Productions)              
Post-production: Ministry of Illusion