The insurance company Zurich needed a persuasive, engaging way to tell people about their income protection plans. A dry, boring corporate message? It was the opposite. Find out how we transformed the subject of insurance into an emotional, real-life human story.
Zurich Insurance was founded in Switzerland in 1872 and is now one of the world’s largest insurance companies. Alongside other insurance products, the company offers group income protection policies.
If you think income protection is a dry and boring subject, this is one of the reasons Zurich came to Videofrog.
Zurich had been running a campaign called `Rehabilitation — Getting Britain Better’. It stemmed from alarming research that 1 in 3 employees now have long-term health issues. Worryingly, few of these people receive support from their employer.
Zurich needed a persuasive, engaging way to educate people that comprehensive support is available to them. They wanted to show the human side of their group income protection plan.
They commissioned us to make a brand storytelling documentary which told the real-life story of Sue, a Zurich customer. After contracting Long COVID, she received both financial support and a personalised rehabilitation programme through Zurich’s income protection plan.
Zoe Jeske-Ling
Marketing Campaign Specialist, Zurich
At the same time, the video should also bring to life the often misunderstood topic of Long COVID. Sue’s authentic, relatable story would bring empathy and understanding.
The process began with pre-production. During this, we discovered that because of Long COVID, Sue would need frequent rest periods during filming.
We adapted our production approach, and the production schedule, to allow for this. For example:
Sally Thomas
Propositions Communications Manager, Zurich
We chose a `talking head’ storytelling format which featured Sue and her Zurich Medical Rehabilitation Consultant, Nicola.
Their first face-to-face meeting was filmed as it happened. This raw, unscripted moment shows the genuine human connection between Sue and Nicola — the real-life emotional story which lies behind the dry subject of insurance.
Similarly, we incorporated Sue’s rest periods and medication into the narrative as an authentic portrayal of her daily reality. We also alluded to her involvement in a local sea swimming group, creatively illustrating the challenges of seasonal change and Sue’s limited energy levels.
You might expect that filming for a large financial institution would involve restrictive red tape. In fact, it was the opposite. Carl Austin was Videofrog’s producer and project leader.
“Zurich gave us the perfect blend of trust and freedom which allowed us to shape a strong narrative. This is brand storytelling at its best, transforming real-world ideas into something visually and emotionally impactful.”
Inspired by the film ‘Killing Them Softly’, we modified a vintage 200mm lens to create a subtle fish-eye effect, a visual metaphor for the impact of Long COVID.
While the frame’s centre is in focus, the blurred edges represent Sue’s brain fog and her struggle to focus — a common symptom of the condition.
This blend of innovative techniques and authentic storytelling transformed a dry corporate message into an emotional story which connects on a human level.
We successfully highlighted Zurich’s support and showcased its insurance offering while also providing a vivid, empathetic portrayal of the long-term effects of COVID.
So far, the documentary has achieved over 8.700 organic impressions and more than 1,500 views across online platforms and social media.
“Our film has been very well received by brokers and customers alike. The superb production has helped to engage our target audience and showcase the support we can provide to our customers when they need it most.”
Sally Thomas, Zurich
The film has since won the 2024 Cover Customer Care Award for outstanding case study success, and we’ve just entered it for a Lens Award with Communicate Magazine.
Zoe Jeske-Ling
Zurich
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