In 2020, it became clear that the Rias brand, which which makes up a significant portion of the Ageas direct proposition, was in need of an update. The brand had lost its way through an attempt to retarget at a younger demographic and because the needs of its target audience - predominantly over 60's, is changing just as their lives are changing.
Following the successful Rias brand look and feel update in 2019, we began work on reviewing and updating the communications strategy. The intention was to identify a simple, recognisable proposition and territory for Rias to occupy.
It was also a priority to retain and build on the differentiation between the Ageas Direct and Rias brands to prevent them cannibalising each other.
We conducted interviews, gathered group research and reviewed internal research documents, campaign collateral and results from over a decade of Rias.
We used these insights to start to identify our target audience, develop pen portraits and inform a new strategy which we believed could begin to lift the brand and speak to a new generation of over 60's in a genuine and supportive manner.
From these pen portraits, we identified our 3 'problems'. That our customers' needs are as individualised and complex as their lives are. That over 60 doesn't mean what it used to - it brings new experiences, new challenges and new joys. And that in order to talk to these customers, we had to recognise all that.
From there, we identified a solution - the Rias customer pledge.
Our next steps will be to write new propositions and copy and flow these into our collateral in the first half of 2021.
