Aussie Home Loans rediscovers its loud advertising voice in a quiet financial services market

Screen shot from Aussie Home Loans clip. Youtube.

Aussie Home Loans, with its agency CHE Proximity, today rebranded with a loud campaign in a quiet financial services advertising market.

The 27-year-old brand redefines and re-states itself as modern, approachable and straight-talking, with a series about the typical, and weak, financial advice offered by friends, family and hairdressers.

Financial services has been a contributor to 11 consecutive falls in the monthly SMI (Standard Media Index) as banks reduce advertising activity following the financial services royal commission.

Sascha Hunt, the head of marketing at Aussie Home Loans, who earlier this year moved from Allianz, says the brand has never shied away from big issues.

“When John (Symond) launched the brand 27 years ago, he launched with a big voice,” she told AdNews. “So we’ve come back with that big voice.”

Aussie doesn’t have the budget of the big players.

“We certainly don't have the same funding which is all the more reason to keep these messages clear and simple and relatable,” she says.

She says the financial services market is confusing, and quiet, at the moment.

“There's a lot of online players. There's the banks, brokers, and as an established brand what we needed to do was cut through all of that with a really clear, concise and simple message that led you straight to Aussie,” she says. “And that's where we landed. Go straight to Aussie.

“It was really about cutting through the clutter that's out there and just having a single-minded proposition.”

The campaign launches with three films which highlight typical occasions where laughable "wisdom" around buying a home is given freely.

Do people really take financial advice from their hairdresser?

“We have strong recognition of our brand. It's an iconic brand. It's going through a refresh with its identity as well so we're brightening that up and refreshing which you'll see from the creative,” says Hunt.

CHE Proximity says the campaign is aimed at buyers at all stages from first timers, those looking to upgrade, investors or those refinancing to unlock some equity.

“We wanted to replicate a conversation that so many Australians will recognise, and use comedy to create POV style short films to show how these familiar characters are guilty of spreading bad home loan advice,” says Benn Sutton, creative director at CHE Proximity.

This contrasts to qualified Aussie brokers who have heard it all before, but are ready to set the record straight and help guide people in the right direction on home buying.