BRIEFINGS: An outdoor first where the medium is the message

<p>National Mutual had been operating in Hong Kong for more than two </p><p>decades when the decision to rebrand itself as AXA Insurance was </p><p>made. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>This presented an immediate challenge: how to project the company's new </p><p>brand personality effectively and creatively in the local </p><p>marketplace? </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The first move was to change the company's name to AXA in English, but </p><p>retain its original Chinese-language name - this would thus maintain a </p><p>strong brand linkage between National Mutual and AXA. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Zenith Media aimed to achieve advertising cut-through in a marketplace </p><p>where competition was fierce, and where brand positioning tended to be </p><p>very much category-generic. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>AXA's new brand personality was determined to be entrepreneurial, </p><p>progressive, upbeat, positive and human; the company positioned itself </p><p>as the market leader, setting benchmarks for the industry. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The creative platform needed to be positive, optimistic, upbeat in tone </p><p>and style, with the emphasis on the benefits and solutions delivered by </p><p>AXA - "by covering personal, property and business risks, AXA enables </p><p>you as an individual to move forward with peace of mind". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The slogan conceived was "Go Ahead with AXA". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The media strategy emphasised outdoor options, with the intention being </p><p>to use the medium as the message. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Zenith achieved a ubiquitous brand presence at the Eastern Harbour </p><p>Tunnel "to keep people going all the way". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Giant head-on billboards and more than 1,000 branded traffic cones </p><p>created a brand new medium for AXA. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In addition, the regular 'thank you' signage at the toll booth exits </p><p>were replaced by custom-made, AXA-branded displays. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Upon paying the toll fee, a "Go Ahead" message lit up in the display </p><p>panel. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Another creative media idea was to make full use of the exterior of the </p><p>AXA building itself as an advertising space. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>A huge arrow with the slogan was pasted onto the side of the building </p><p>facing Victoria Harbour, using special material devised by 3M which </p><p>still allowed the building occupants to see through the windows. The </p><p>media stunt achieved significant coverage in the local press. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>* This ongoing National Geographic Showcase series features selected </p><p>material from winners and other entries in the Best Use of Media </p><p>category in MEDIA's Agency of the Year Awards 1999. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>