The Challenge.
When Liberty Insurance bought Quinn Insurance, it was toxic, symbol of the Irish crash. Rothco planner Patrick Ronaldson thought the solution was a new start, concentrating on Liberty's heritage in blue collar Massachussets. Damian Hanley and Alan Kelly crafted the initial script, I was brought in to make sure its realization came together. Damian and I went to Boston to see what we had to work with.
The Solution
If this campaign came across as just a Big American corporation landing in Ireland, we knew we'd be in Big Trouble. Working with director Richie Smith, we focussed on what made Boston special, an honest but tough port town with a reputation for fairness . If you know Richie's work from Netflix hit, Jadotville, you'll know he's a director with a Hollywood facility for big themes - such as the everyman hero. One smart casting choice and a film and we had a hit on our hands. And a huge AdFx winner.
THE RESULTS
The campaign was a huge hit, Quinn was quickly forgotten, and Liberty firmly established as a new brand. The lead character, Bobby rapidly became a housewife's favourite, mobbed for selfies when he visited to Ireland, giving Liberty even more of the broad fame every brand needs. The campaign won 2 AdFx golds.See what the judges said here. http://adfx.ie/rothco-and-liberty-insurance.html