Santam’s new ‘Say I’ advertising campaign features SA born Hollywood actress Lesley-Ann Brandt. Conceptualised by the King James Group, the TV commercial positions Santam as a more modern, relevant and inclusive brand that appeals to all South Africans and encourages them to think about the value of insurance and to ‘say I’ to protecting what they’ve accumulated.
The campaign creative cleverly uses the traditional English affirmation expression – ‘Say Aye’ or ‘Say I’ – meaning ‘Yes’ to confirm certain questions posed and in essence saying yes to what the Santam brand stands for. The advert also positions Santam as a more modern, relevant and inclusive brand that appeals to all South Africans.
Devin Kennedy, Executive Creative Director at King James, said, ‘Evoking the emotion of being part of a ‘wave’ in a crowded stadium, the focus is firmly on inclusivity. The momentum of asking South Africans to stand up and ‘say I’ to protecting what we care about is compelling. It’s about being proud to be part of something.
‘It’s that feeling of satisfaction and ownership that comes with knowing you’re making decisions that count. And you’re making these alongside countless other South Africans, which is affirmation of your choices and encouragement that the country’s collectively growing stronger.’
A strong objective of the campaign was to make all South Africans feel valued and heard. One of the scenes in the TVC features lines of cars in gridlock traffic flashing their lights in unison to the question, ‘If your insurer does what they promise to do when you claim, flash your lights and say I.’ Another shot zooms in on an astronaut in space, ‘saying I’ to being one of the people with the insurer that’s paid out over R40 billion in the last three years. It’s all of us, and it’s the individual. No matter where we are, it’s about feeling safe.
Brandt was chosen because she fits the fresher positioning of the brand, is extremely relatable and is fast becoming a household name in South Africa and abroad. She’s also proudly South African, just like Santam. And she’s passionate about South Africans’ wellbeing, and an advocate for people upskilling themselves from a financial wellness point of view.
Mokaedi Dilotshotlhe, Chief Marketing Officer at Santam said, ‘The new campaign aims to entrench Santam’s leadership positioning in the short-term insurance industry, and showcases the extensive breadth of our offerings, whilst positioning the strength of our claims paying capability, which is well aligned to our strong brand promise of, Insurance Good and Proper.’
