TBWA\London and Sunlife Showcase How Far a Little Confidence Can Take You

Forget free pens and cosy, predictable daytime TV ads – from living life ‘au naturale’, competing in jiu-jitsu, or pursuing a passion for wood carving, TBWA\London’s new brand platform for SunLife positions confidence centre stage.

SunLife, one the leading UK financial companies in the over 50’s life insurance sector, has partnered with TBWA\London to create an ambitious brand platform, brought to life in three TV spots. This marks a transformative step in SunLife's journey to empower its customer demographic to live life with confidence, knowing they’ve made a good choice for their future.

The campaign is TBWA\London’s first major work for SunLife since winning the account in August last year and represents the brand’s most ambitious marketing push since 2017. It signals a bold departure from the kind of traditional, product-focused messaging that has become commonplace in the market, by introducing a fresh and modernised brand platform centred on everyday confidence.

This transformation follows extensive consumer research with over 2,500 people over 45, and reflects SunLife’s commitment to evolving with its audience and their needs.

TBWA\London’s trademark disruptive approach hopes to reshape perceptions of the brand, positioning it as a forward-thinking, empowering force in financial services.

Directed by Freddy Mandy, the campaign marks creative director Matt Swinburne’s first major production at TBWA\London. Using humour to connect with today’s customers, the work follows three individuals’ insurance journeys: from a newly-naturist couple breaking the news to their children, to a self-assured mum mastering jiu-jitsu, to a dad taking his wood-carving passion to the extreme. The campaign highlights how SunLife’s Guaranteed Over 50 Plan empowers policyholders to live confidently and unapologetically.

SunLife offers simple, affordable financial solutions tailored to the needs of people over 50. Its life insurance products – the Guaranteed Over 50 Plan and the Guaranteed Inheritance Plan – provide peace of mind to families across the UK, and its equity release offering enables homeowners to unlock money to make the most of retirement.

Matt Swinburne, creative director at TBWA\London, said, “If my naked parents sat me down to tell me they had become naturists, I’d be horrified. And I’d need a lot of counseling. But part of me would be impressed too. We’ve had a lot of fun telling stories of the confidence SunLife cover can unlock in your life. It’s been a brilliant journey with our friends at Sunlife, and we’re proud of a campaign that we hope will inspire our over 50s to start living their best lives.”

Victoria Heath, chief marketing officer at SunLife, said, “Our collaboration with TBWA\London has been transformative. This new direction reflects our evolution as a brand dedicated to empowering customers to live their lives without hesitation. By modernising our message and focusing on confidence, we’re ensuring that our brand resonates with a broader audience and inspires them to embrace life’s possibilities.”

Vicky Brunwin, head of brand at SunLife, said, “Our new brand platform really brings to life the everyday confidence that people can feel knowing they have their life insurance in place. We are deliberately going against the category norms to use British humour and charm to engage and entertain people, whilst also helping to reframe SunLife as a modern brand.”