Crime detective Sarge replaces Captain Risky as face of Budget Direct marketing
Captain Risky has been replaced by a crime detective called Sarge in the latest campaign from Budget Direct.
Budget Direct launches crime thriller style campaign with short film
Launching with a two and half minute commercial across primetime television in Australia, the new campaign mimics the classic crime thriller mystery genre.
The ad introduces Sarge, a detective investigating a series of remarkable otherworldly events which present a host of baffling questions. However, despite the strange occurrences, Sarge uncovers a bigger mystery around why the people involved in these incidents had paid more than they had to for their insurance.
The ad also introduces the brand’s new line “Budget Direct - Insurance Solved.”
The campaign is the first work in four years not to feature, Captain Risky, an accident-prone daredevil, who has been the face of Budget Direct’s advertising since 2015.
The latest campaign was created by the same team behind Captain Risky, creative director Adam Whitehead and copywriter Mike Burdick, and 303 MullenLowe’s former executive creative director Richard Morgan. The campaign was directed by acclaimed British director Daniel Kleinman with production company Goodoil.
Jonathan Kerr, chief marketing officer at Budget Direct, said, “We set out to make Budget Direct’s new marketing campaign just as innovative, engaging and unique as our ability to offer award-winning insurance for less. Now that we’ve got Sarge on the case, we hope Australians enjoy the ads and in turn consider our message even more.”
The campaign was teased, prior to launch, with six-second spots on YouTube and Facebook as well as online display and digital billboards advertising. The integrated campaign includes TV, cinema and online channels.
