Swiftcover - Advertising

Advertising

In 2005, Swiftcover.com's advertising campaign used advertising straplines including “Click Click not Cluck Cluck” and "No Clucking Call Centres".

From January 2009, the company used Iggy Pop to front a £25 million TV ad campaign using the strapline "Get a Life". The ads led to a 31% increase in sales in the first three months of 2009 compared with the same period in 2008. One particular advert became notable due to complaints received by the Advertising Standard's Authority:

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that the swiftcover.com advert was misleading following complaints the singer would not have been able to buy cover since the insurer excluded people working in the entertainment industry. The ASA received 12 complaints about the advert from viewers who said it was misleading because it was suggested Iggy Pop was insured by swiftcover.com. In the advert, the musician said: "I got it swiftcovered. I got insurance on my insurance!"

Swiftcover had received hundreds of enquiries from musicians looking for low-cost cover. Before the ASA announced its ruling, swiftcover changed its approach and began to insure musicians. Others in the entertainment industry are still not covered, however. Iggy Pop will continue to front their campaigns.

Despite accusations of ‘selling out’ Iggy Pop himself remained unrepentant saying he ‘didn’t give a sh*t’ during a recent press conference for his new album Preliminaires.

In January 2010, Iggy Pop returned for a new advertising campaign featuring "Little Iggy", a puppet version of Pop. The adverts featured Iggy and "Little Iggy" driving a purple convertible TVR Tuscan and playing golf.

The new campaign again caused furore, however Iggy remained supportive, telling The Sunday Times: "They said they wanted this series of ads to be performed by somebody… somebody you can’t help but like!"

From 30 December 2011, Swiftcover stopped using Iggy Pop for its advertising campaigns, and launched a new campaign featuring a family of animated characters voiced by celebrities including Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, Chris Evans and Noddy Holder.

According to their latest policy summary, Swiftcover has returned to not insuring anyone working in the entertainment industry, including musicians.