But last year, WCRS realised that it had to close the gap between BUPA's live-action TV and its cartoon press work. As the warm animation had been successful in print, the agency decided to adopt the same style for its 2004 TV work.
Three months later, the BUPA campaign has become an Adwatch success story by reaching number ten in this week's table, generating 51% recall. The ad featured is one of four executions that present various aspects of BUPA's service.
'Mole' promotes the fact that BUPA hospitals are happy to treat people on a 'self-pay' basis. The ad features a man,voiced by actor Timothy Spall, on the phone to BUPA, arranging treatment for his "quite annoying" mole - with an animated mole perched on his shoulder throughout. The style is cosy and unthreatening, allowing BUPA to treat serious issues in a light-hearted, reassuring way.
The animation, created by Studio AKA and based on illustrations by Graham Carter, is used to increase standout and present a more accessible image of BUPA.
The campaign unashamedly sets out to appeal to people who might not normally be targeted by health insurers. The campaign's Caroline Quentin-voiced endline, 'The health and care people', positions BUPA as open and empathetic.
The ad is recalled almost equally by both sexes (50% of men and 52% of women) and is consistent across demographic groups, with 54% of ABs, 51% of C1s and C2s, and 49% of DEs remembering the ads.
Although a comfortable brand leader, with three million UK customers and 40% of the UK private medical insurance market, BUPA knows there is still work to do.
BUPA brand and planning director Eileen Folan says: "We believe this campaign will help broaden the appeal of the brand. Our call centre staff have already told us that we are attracting a wider range of customers."
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