WHILE there might not be much to laugh about in many regional areas of WA this winter, a new television commercial for Wesfarmers Federation Insurance is taking a lighter look at life on the farm to get the message out all over regional Australia
WHILE there might not be much to laugh about in many regional areas of WA this winter, a new television commercial for Wesfarmers Federation Insurance is taking a lighter look at life on the farm to get the message out all over regional Australia
Produced by local agency Adlink JLS, the commercial, which will be screened nationally, is one of just a handful of national accounts still handled by a Perth agency.
The spot was produced on a budget of about $100,000 and is aimed at farmers and small business in regional Australia, with a focus on the insurer’s friendly, personal service.
With 79 branches throughout Australia, Wesfarmers Feder-ation Insurance claims it is willing to go ‘the extra distance’ to cater to the needs of agricultural and small businesses.
Despite its high profile in rural areas, Wesfarmers Feder-ation Insurance is virtually unknown in metropolitan areas, despite the fact it’s WA’s biggest locally owned insurer.
“We are very high profile in regional areas and we do some business in the metropolitan areas, but we focus on farming and small business in regional areas,” Wesfarmers Federation Insurer national marketing manager Roger Barnett said.
“What we’re trying to get across with this advertisement is the fact that we provide a very local service and face-to-face service.
“We’re prepared to go out there and visit people on their properties … we’ve got the largest number of branches and the largest operation direct to clients.”
With many farmers in WA facing financial hardship as a result of the drought conditions throughout most agricultural areas, Wesfarmers Federation Insurance admits revenue from crop insurance may well be a little down this year.
“Crop insurance probably won’t be so big this season (in WA) but we’re used to having a drought somewhere in WA,” Mr Barnett said.
“We do the complete package, from property insurance to various liabilities, workers’ compensation, motor vehicle insurance and crop insurance.
“And we’re the recommended insurer for over 40 small businesses and agricultural associations, from plumbers to the Queensland Fruit and Vege-table growers association.”
Adlink JLS group account director Ron Shearwood said the campaign was designed to demonstrate the fact that Wesfarmers Federation Insur-ance was available to anyone in the country.
“The guarantee of delivery is what they’ve based their business on for the last 80 years,” he said.
“It (the commercial) covers the fact that they deal with small business and the agricultural industry.”
Longevity is not a word familiar to many in the cutthroat advertising industry, but Wesfarmers Federation Insur-ance has been an Adlink client for 22 years, spanning the significant growth of this national client.