AXA: Effectiveness 1 Newspapers deliver the best return on investment

AXA faced a range of communications challenges in early AXA is a major global finance company, but in each of their main UK businesses there was fierce competition from more famous brands. Many people were unaware of their product range. The recession had affected trust in finance companies, as well as squeezing personal finances. AXA needed to create a unified, differentiated and more emotionally engaging brand image as well as promoting the individual products. Newspapers proved to be the most cost-efficient medium for building AXA’s overall brand values and creating awareness of their three core business strands – health insurance, investment and motor insurance. National newspapers were also the most effective medium for building trust, awareness and differentiation among AXA’s core target of “Successful Securities”: home-owning families with a household income of £50,000+. AXA

Newspapers were the most powerful medium for improving AXA brand measures among their core target - 25% of budget was spent in newspapers, yet they delivered 57% of the improvements Newspapers were the most cost-effective medium overall, especially for building the AXA brand among the core target - TV seven times more costly - Outdoor Rail twice as costly Newspapers reinforced trust, boosted differentiation and promoted customer understanding - 10% increase in “financially sound and secure” - 17% rise in “ tries to be different from other brands” - 28% increase in “understands its customers” 3 AXA Headline results

4 AXA Creative work Newspaper creative

5 AXA Creative work Outdoor creative TV creative

Objective Build a unified, emotionally resonant brand image for AXA whilst promoting each of the core strands of business: health insurance, investment, and motor insurance Communications strategy Show how each of the AXA companies are being responsive to customer wishes Target audience “Successful Securities”: reasonably affluent and financially astute, with plans to maintain financial security into the future. Homeowners aged 40-59, with children 10+, household income £50,000+. The broader media audience was homeowners aged 35-65, with household income of £40k+. 6 AXA Test detail

7 AXA Test detail Media Plan Jan 12Feb 12 March 12 April 12 May 12 June 12 £m Media Target audience: homeowners aged 35-65, with household income of £40k+ Newspapers1.98 TV4.29 Outdoor Rail1.69 Research Dates Millward Brown CrossMedia™ Source: Millward Brown CrossMedia™ 842 GRPs 1348 TVRs 1120 GRPs During/Post Pre

8 AXA Test detail Sample 2,408 homeowners aged 35-65, with a household income of £40,000+. A sub-sample of 1,057 “Successful Securities” was analysed, as they represented the primary AXA target. These adults were homeowners aged , with a household income over £50,000 and children over the age of 10.

9 “Throughout this campaign, we were able to quantify the impact of newspapers within an integrated advertising approach. Newspapers ticked a number of key boxes: they created awareness and changed perceptions among a valuable and engaged audience, they enhanced the impact of our TV, and they proved highly cost-efficient.” AXA Brand Manager

The Findings 10

11 The Findings AXA campaign improved brand standing

12 AXA Newspapers had the greatest impact on AXA brand measures among the core target Share of spend Share of uplift in AXA key brand measures - Successful Securities core target (awareness, consideration, image) Newspapers TV Outdoor Rail Newspapers TV Outdoor Rail Source: Millward Brown CrossMedia™

13 AXA Newspapers were pivotal to multi-media campaign performance 0% 50%100%150%200%250%300% SimulatedActual Newspapers, TV and Outdoor Rail Newspapers and TV TV and Outdoor Rail TV

14 AXA Newspapers delivered an affluent, responsive audience Source: NRS Jul 11 – Jun 12 Index of heavy TV viewers and heavy Newspaper readers

15 Cost of 1% uplift in AXA brand measures - Successful Securities core target (awareness, consideration, image) £m AXA Newspapers were lowest cost medium for driving AXA brand KPIs NewspapersOutdoor Rail TV Source: Millward Brown CrossMedia™

16 AXA Newspapers created high levels of buzz Share of spend Share of uplift “buzz” - Successful Securities core target Newspapers TV Outdoor Rail Newspapers TV Outdoor Rail Source: Millward Brown CrossMedia™ *Buzz = seen, read or heard a lot about recently

Newspapers drove 60% of uplifts in AXA brand image among core audience Newspapers reinforced trust, boosted differentiation and promoted customer understanding 17 AXA Newspapers boosted brand image

18 AXA Multiple executions built a strong story Source: Millward Brown CrossMedia™