Dutch Insurance for Viewing Enjoyment
Insurance Companies are not institutions I generally warm to in spite of their many well-crafted and highly emotive commercials.
I find that so much of their advertising communications tends to be generic. Any number of alternative company logos and pay off lines can be substituted at the end of many commercials and it wouldn’t make any substantive difference.
There also tends to be a lack of consistency in brand character and single-minded consumer propositions. Promoting their different policy options often results in a diversity of information, target audiences and a resultant dilution of holistic brand coherence.
Centraal Beheer Achmea Consistency
Centraal Beheer Achmea is an Insurance Company based in The Netherlands town of Apeldoorn. In 1984 the company decided to launch a campaign with a catchphrase that has become part of the nation’s popular culture.
Their famous call to action “Even Apeldoorn Bellen” (Just Call Us) has become the company’s identifiable signature.
I have enjoyed their many award winning commercials over the years. They have been consistently single-minded, highly entertaining and memorable. Centraal Beheer Achmea’s long association with DDB, Amsterdam, has produced so many superb commercials that it is difficult to decide which to feature.
1. Centraal Beheer Achmea, Museum Voodoo
Advertising Agency: DDB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Directed by Frank Budgen, this is an early favourite of mine. Unfortunately, I have not been able to source a high definition link to this very amusing commercial.
2. Centraal Beheer Achmea, Acupuncture
Advertising Agency: DDB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Directed by Bart Timmer, this 2007 New York Festivals Gold Winner and Cannes Lion Winner is another early favourite of mine.
3. Central Beheer Achmea, Alien Invasion
Agency: DDB Native, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Directed by Les Stylewar, this parody is a visual delight with a very funny twist at the end.
4. Centraal Beheer Achmea, Birdie
Advertising Agency: DDB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Directed by Hein Mevissen and shot on location in Miami USA, this is another enjoyable commercial.
5. Centraal Beheer Achmea, Welcome
Advertising Agency: DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Directed by Dylan De Backer and Joris Kuipers, this is the 57th commercial of this long running campaign.
6. Centraal Beheer Achmea, Rapper
Advertising Agency: DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Directed by Sven Super and filmed on location in Echo Park, Los Angeles, this is Centraal Beheer Achmea’s 59th campaign commercial.
The soundtrack features the rap song ‘Honk The Horns’ that was specially written for this amusing commercial and the vocals are by American actor and rapper Courtney Richards.
7. Centraal Beheer Achmea, Hulk
Advertising Agency: DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Directed by Sven Super, this is the 60th commercial of the 30-year long ‘Just Call Us’ campaign and stars Hulk Hogan.
It was filmed in the ‘Hulkmania’ wrestler and actor’s hometown of Clearwater Beach, Florida.