Alex Forrester.
Alex Forrester, Business Director, TRA Melbourne.
Each year, TRA surveys Australians and New Zealanders to identify their favourite ads as part of its long-running Favourite Ads study. In 2025 something unusual happened in Australia's top ten. Six of the favourite ads were insurance ads, including four of the top five. This is compared to none of the top ten in New Zealand.
When we consider that Nielsen data placed insurance just seventh in category advertising spend earlier this year, it’s even more noteworthy. The category claimed a disproportionate share of Australia’s favourite ads, while higher-spending sectors such as finance, travel, and automotive failed to place.
So, what’s happening?
We decided to find out. We showed over 1,000 Australians these favourite ads, and using TRA’s Creative Edge framework, we asked what made them remarkable, remembered and rewarding. Analysing the data we were able to determine why they are so effective in gaining disproportionate, and favourable, attention. To help explain the insights, we also spoke with some of the leading marketers and advertising strategists behind the work, asking them what they believe makes their campaigns truly stand out. This is what we found:
(1) Distinctive Characters
A detective trio (including a dog), quokka, lady-in-red, black-throated finch, a white-bellied sea-eagle, and talking water dragons don’t have much in common – except that they are all distinctive characters. It’s hard to ignore that animals feature significantly in this mix, however, I don’t think there’s anything special about using animals per se; they are just a great way of creating something unique and eye-catching which isn’t distracted by subjective human qualities – and not subject to the complexities of ongoing talent arrangements!Andrew Kolb, Head of Strategy Brisbane & Perth at VML, puts it this way about RACQ: “‘You with RACQ?’ captures the unmistakable Queensland charm and easy-going humour that Aussies love, brought to life through quirky, memorable animal characters. By pairing these distinctive brand assets with the playful repetition of its tagline, the campaign stands out in a category sometimes not usually known for laughs. It’s warm, witty, and impossible to forget – which is exactly why it’s become a favourite.”
(2) Subverting category norms
There is a typical formula for insurance advertising – and consumers know it! We meet a protagonist, something bad happens, insurer resolves the issue. While it risks becoming wallpaper if the story aligns too closely to the category, what these insurance ads demonstrate is how to take a formula and twist, turn and subvert it with a metaphor, unexpected element, or creative approach. A great example is Allianz’s ‘Care You Can Count On’ spot, where the human story is reinterpreted through a bird metaphor.
As Laura Halbert, General Manager - Customer Strategy and Marketing at Allianz Australia, explains: “To develop this platform, we spent months speaking with hundreds of our customers, employees and partners to understand what Australians need from their insurer. The answer was clear – when life gets stormy, they want to feel that we will be there for them, caring each step of the way. ‘The Flight of the Finch’ harnesses the power of emotional storytelling to communicate this promise in a compelling way. In an industry that often leans heavily on rational messaging, we're proud to have taken a bold and emotionally resonant approach and to redefine what Care looks like in the insurance industry.”
(3) Repetition and consistency
More than any other theme among these ads, we see how many of the insurers have invested in their brand platforms over time. They have given consumers the chance to properly identify and remember the brand and created the possibility of being liked and favourited. For example, Budget Direct, through their ‘Insurance Solved’ platform, demonstrates how to methodically build distinctive assets. This isn’t a one-off ad, but a strategically designed vehicle for the brand to memorably communicate with its customers.
As Jody Elston, CSO at 303 MullenLowe, explains: “Budget Direct understands the value of building brand salience and distinctiveness over time. We’ve earned the top insurance spot for brand attention not through one-off ads, but through consistent brand entertainment under our Insurance Solved platform over seven years. We sustain this attention by continuing to refresh brand assets like our detective characters with new surprising stories that above all entertain.”
Similarly, AAMI has built recognition through consistent repetition. In their case, this consistency allows them to branch into more creative tangents while relying on light but repetitive use of core brand ideas.
Rapthi Thanapalasingam, Head of Brand and Content, Suncorp Group, says: “‘Lucky you’re with AAMI’ is more than a slogan; it’s an iconic, culturally embedded phrase that instantly sparks a feeling of trust and recognition across Australia. Paired with ‘When Australia Happens’, this phrase turns life’s unpredictable moments into something manageable – and often, something funny. Through the familiar faces of the AAMI Woman, unmistakable AAMI red, the unforgettable Sting, and a consistent tone of voice, the campaign is both memorable and relatable. This creative consistency ensures AAMI remains culturally relevant, assuring Australians that, whatever happens, they’re supported, and giving them that feeling of, ‘Lucky you’re with AAMI.’”
What is interesting about these themes is that they highlight a challenge in the development of great advertising for the category: how do you balance the repetition of familiar characters with the need to subvert expectations? The more iconic and successful a platform becomes, the greater the pressure to constantly reinvent how it is used. This is also a lesson in future-proofing of brand platforms – thinking ahead about whether a campaign can evolve into a long-term vehicle for growth. Once an initial campaign is already successful, it's often too late to figure out how it can be extended and reinvented.
Among these favourite ads, we mostly see platforms, such as Budget Direct’s – which seem purpose-built for this strategic challenge. We also see the beginning of exciting new platforms, such as Allianz, which we look forward to watching as they extend and repeat into the future.