HDFC Std. Life to HDFC Life the brand journey of a decade

Ten successful years in the Indian life insurance industry, HDFC Life, a known life insurance company, celebrates its core values over the last decade. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) had flagged off HDFC Life as the first private life insurance company on October 23rd, 2000.

Since 2005, HDFC Life has consistently focused on marketing campaigns to create relevance of life insurance to consumers. HDFC Life uses strong insights for its communication that have gone way beyond the much ignored promise of security, to a bigger need i.e. of ensuring financial independence and self respect for the family.

The core brand thought ' Sar Utha Ke Jiyo ' was arrived at after extensive research; the insight that an individual doesn't want to be a burden on his family and that he doesn't want his family to depend on anyone after his death is a universal one irrespective of the metro-non-metro divide. Self Respect has always been a core value for all Indians. Self Respect has most times meant self-reliance and self-sufficiency -- a value system ingrained into young and old that self-help led to leading life at your own terms, without compromises. Although they had coined Sar Utha Ke Jiyo and Respect Yourself, the company realized that the former was a much more powerful statement and thus, retained it.

Circa 2005 ' First Brand and Children's Plans TVCs

The company's first advertisement "the Train' got the brand noticed. It created relevance of life insurance to consumers. The strong insights created the importance of financial independence and self respect for the family through life insurance.

The first campaign on driving awareness about Children's Plan was received with overwhelming response. The campaign was aimed at creating awareness among parents the importance of securing the dreams and aspirations of a child through Children's Plans.

Circa 2006 - Children's Plans and Pension Plans TVCs

For children's plans, HDFC Life came up with the Dependable Papa idea, which was based around the insight that whatever the child's need may be, she can depend on her father to provide for her. The television commercial used was US Scholarship, in which, a young girl comes home disappointed because she has been awarded only half a scholarship for a course in the US; her father tells her that she need not worry because he has been planning financially for her all these years.

For the pension campaign, their strategy was simple: take the Sar Utha Ke Jiyo promise post retirement. This was done with the insight that a person wishes to live a life of dignity and respect even after retirement. The first pension TVC showed a grandfather lovingly gifting his grandchild a cycle from his own money, instead of letting his son buy the same.

Circa 2007 - NASA Campaign, Pension Plans and Home Loan Insurance Plans TVCs

Next HDFC Life launched the Children's plan campaign "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,' where they took the Children's plan campaign further with the NASA contest.

Then in their second Pension Plans TVC, an old man joked with his wife about their earning capabilities after retirement ' she may even have to do away with the servant or cook! He tells her that she need not worry; his financial foresight with HDFC Life will enable them to retire with pride.

Their efforts on strong communications around Children's and Pensions Plans helped create the two categories in the Indian life insurance industry.

Home Loan Insurance Plans TVC was aimed at disseminating the message that you can protect your family from your loan liabilities in case of your unfortunate demise. In case you are not around, your family does not lose the dream house that you have purchased for them, and they can live with their head held high.

Circa 2008 - Unit Linked Savings Plan and Children's Plans (Chandamama) TVCs, Brand Campaign, and Music Album

For the youth segment campaign, HDFC Life targeted young adults with the insight, "Now that I'm earning, I take pride in sharing my parents' responsibilities." This led to the "Pride in independence and sharing responsibilities' idea. The ad showed a young woman telling her father that he needs a bigger car. When the father asks her jocularly where the money for the bigger car will come from, the girl says she will arrange it. The father is taken aback and says philosophically, "Car badi ho gayi, aur beti bhi (The car has become bigger, and so has my daughter)."

Their third children's plan campaign was based around the insight ' "whatever be your child's dreams you don't need to rely on anyone else other than self to make it true.' In the TVC, a child expresses her desire to become an astronaut and her father lovingly assures his daughter of a secure future and promises to fulfill her dream. The film in a subtle fashion captures the moments between the child and her father and brings across the importance of planning early for a child's future needs.

HDFC Life tried to use a similar thought in their brand campaign ' Ghum Nahi Hona - based around the insight that whenever one misplaces anything, he or she gets anxious. Through this television commercial, the insurance company tried to bring out the core category benefit ' protecting one's family future and happiness by investing in life insurance and savings plans and in effect making the brand more relevant to their target audience. The ad showed the undesirable eventualities from a kid's point of view without really venturing into the territory of creating fear and paranoia about death.

HDFC Life unveiled "Sar Utha Ke Jiyo,' a music album promoting and propagating "Self Respect. Through this innovative marketing initiative, the company conveyed a simple message ' "Respect Yourself' -- to the quintessential middle class because from it emerges the essentials of one's life -- needs, wants, hopes aspirations ' that can be channelized to prudent investments through HDFC Life products.

Circa 2009 ' Music Video and Brand Campaign, association with Rajasthan Royals

HDFC Life's association with Rajasthan Royals was aimed at bringing to the fore their common values ' self respect or living life with head held high.

They unveiled a music video, "Sar Utha Ke Jiyo,' promoting and propagating "Self Respect,' their brand essence featuring Shilpa Shetty, film star and co-owner, Rajasthan Royals and the Rajasthan Royals team. The music video signified everything that their brand stood for. The concept of "Respect Yourself' or "Sar Utha Ke Jiyo' educated consumers on how the essentials of one's life - needs, wants, hopes, and aspirations ' can blend well through prudent long-term financial planning. This music video propagated the value of self respect by encapsulating the team's self belief, pride and confidence.

The "Sar Utha Ke Jiyo' brand positioning across all the campaigns that HDFC Life have advertised our the last five years starting with the Brand campaign, Children's Plan campaign, Pension Plan campaign, music album, and the music video have been successfully built over the years.

Circa 2010 ' Brand Campaign, TVCs with Rajasthan Royals

Their brand campaign 'Kal Ki Socho, Sar Utha Ke Jiyo' urged people to look at insurance in a new light and get them to do proper financial planning for themselves and their families. The TVC that sprouted from this idea sees two friends talking to each other, laid over, one of them travelling out of town on work. It's very real, honest conversation that, effortlessly brings about the realization, that to really ensure complete financial security of one's family forever, one needs to plan today ' a thought articulated as "Kal Ki Socho, Sar Utha Ke Jiyo" in a powerful surround campaign. There are some unique things about this campaign. It manages to address the issue of life insurance and uncertainty in a very light hearted manner and yet delivers the message effectively. At the same time, retains the core essence of the brand i.e. 'Self Respect' & 'Financial Independence'.

The Campaign Featuring Rajasthan Royals Players - Shane Warne, Yusuf Pathan, Munaf Patel, Kamran Khan, and Swapnil Asnodkar - blended the common values of both HDFC Life and Rajasthan Royals) - self respect -- through the success stories of these players. The campaign captured the essence of self belief, pride, and confidence through a journey of the life of these players and depicts how these players have been able to achieve success despite all odds.

HDFC Life always follows a 360-degree campaign to take its campaign through different platforms and intensify the brand experience. Apart from television, campaigns are supported by other mediums such as print, radio, OOH, Internet, mobile, and on-ground initiatives.

Circa 2010 ' A New Brand identity

India is a young nation. Majority of the country's population is now below the age of 25 and to continue to be successful, it is imperative to be relevant to the changing lifestyles, values and ambitions of the young Indian consumer. HDFC Life's new corporate identity is in tune with the changing consumer behavior. Their new brand identity reflects vibrancy and dynamism, uses colours that resonate the "new age' values for life insurance, weeds out irrelevant clutter, and adds more clarity and sharpness to the logo. The new identity shares higher synergies with their parent ' HDFC Ltd. Inspired by the form and colours of the HDFC brand, the company's new logo and brand name ' HDFC Life - is a symbol of assurance, protection and pride of a life well lived.

The three dimensional logo comes together to create a frame, capturing life's special moments that can be looked upon with pride and joy and lends well to a memorable look and feel. Red stands for vibrancy, youthfulness, exuberance, Blue for dependability, financial expertise, and dark red for (vermillion) long life.

HDFC Life has evolved with their customers over the years, always attempting to be in sync with their mindset and have always been open to adapting to the current times. | By Janees Antoo [janees(at)adgully.com]