NTUC Income and Fiona Xie bring new meaning to 'happy hour'

NTUC Income launched a new campaign for its latest FlexiTravel Hourly Insurance offering centred on the idea of "happy hour" featuring actress Fiona Xie. The brand explained that when travel insurance by the hour is possible, so is peace of mind by the hour, which makes every hour, happy hour. Its new FlexiTravel Hourly Insurance enables travellers to purchase coverage by the hour - offering a more affordable option for short overseas trips.

Xie stars as herself in a series of short films which link together to tell a story about her filming the ad campaign for Income FlexiTravel Hourly Insurance. It also features behind-the-scenes footage where Xie is shown to be filming an ad for the product, only for the video to shift to BTS footage where she engages in banter and discussions with the production crew in regard to the product. At the same time, Xie discovers and reveals different product benefits in surprising and unexpected ways after her conversations with the Income team. The campaign was done in partnership with BBH Singapore.

The new offering follows a study by NTUC Income, which found that cost was the top concern for people debating whether to purchase travel insurance for shorter trips. However, as a result of the pandemic, there has been a heightened awareness of the need for travel insurance, regardless of how long or short a trip is.

Irene Tan, head of product marketing, Income, said that the brand tapped into the concept of happy hour, as it aligned perfectly with the flexible pay-by-the-hour proposition of FlexiTravel Hourly Insurance. “With the new service, travellers only pay for the coverage they truly need and have the control to start and stop their coverage at their fingertips, similar to a parking app, while enjoying peace of mind by the hour on their getaways”, Tan added.

According to her, this is particularly apt for Singaporean travellers, who Income has observed enjoy taking short trips to nearby destinations for a spontaneous weekend getaway even if it meant just a few hours of a getaway to indulge in food or shopping.

As for the overall direction of the films, Tan said the idea of shooting an ad within another ad was refreshing as the team was able to keep it light-hearted and humourous with the use of bloopers - to convey the benefits of FlexiTravel Hourly Insurance and common mishaps that may happen on a short trip, such as food poisoning, robbery and shortening of trips.

Janson Choo, executive creative director, BBH Singapore, added, “This is a true product innovation and one that doesn’t need complicated jargon or construct to advertise. So we decided to have some fun and had Fiona to actually experience the product and sell it as is!”

In addition to the campaign are print assets, which will accompany the films as visual assets highlighting the key benefits of the FlexiTravel Insurance offering. The assets will be lit up in neon signage, a play on the typical "Happy Hour" signs found in bars around the world.

On a broader marketing front, Income recently named Dhiren Amin its new CMO who will build on Income’s brand as a trusted insurer to make insurance and financial planning personal and simple through tailored customer experiences, as well as digital-friendly and customer-focused propositions and touchpoints. He will also drive marketing at Income as a commercial lever to achieve business results and growth for all business lines. 

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