TBWA\Singapore reimagines ancient tragedies in a campaign for Manulife highlighting the topic of insurance protection
Ever wondered how the lives of iconic statues like Venus de Milo, Apollo, Bathsheba and Euripides would have turned out if they had a protection or critical illness insurance plan?
Enter an imaginative new campaign from Manulife, produced by TBWA\Singapore, highlighting the topic of protection in a unique and artistic way. The campaign, ‘Reimagining Ancient Tragedies’, revisits the fate of four iconic statues and the various injuries they have each suffered and become famous for.
To bring the idea to life, Manulife replicated the famous statues of Apollo, Venus de Milo, Euripides and Bathsheba, and is delivering their story through a content film, interactive AR exhibitions, social activations, out-of-home and lead generation exercises across Singapore.
Take for example Apollo, the god of poetry, music and archery. He was found without arms in the late 15th century. To this day, nobody knows what laid within his grasp. Did he let loose an arrow to slay a serpent, or was he offering an olive branch? With the severance of his left radius and ulna, and a clean break in his right humerus, the mystery surrounding his circumstances remain unsolved.
Then there’s the statue of Venus de Milo. One of the most famous works of ancient Greek sculpture, her missing arms have been the subject of debate since her discovery in 1820. Whether or not it was a tussle between sailors, nobody can be sure how she lost her arms – more specifically, a severance of her left glenohumeral joint and a clean break of her right humerus.
Thus, the campaign begs the question: What if they had been protected by Manulife Protection Plans?
Manulife Singapore explores the ‘what-ifs’ surrounding the statues’ broken limbs and critical illnesses from a protection and claims perspective, illustrating the severity of their conditions against Manulife’s broad range of protection and critical illness plans.
Colin Koh and Douglas Goh, Creative Group Heads at TBWA\Singapore commented, “We wanted to play on the drama and tragedy surrounding these famous ancient icons to first get the right attention this campaign message deserves. By bringing back Venus, Apollo, Euripides and Bathsheba, we’re hoping a little history will make a significant impact.”
Cheryl Lim, Manulife Singapore: VP, Head of Brand, Communications and Sponsorships said, “Despite its tongue-in-cheek delivery, Reimagining Ancient Tragedies has a powerful message. We want to highlight the importance of protecting yourself and making a responsible plan in the event of the many accidents and illness you can encounter in life.”
Credits –
Executive Creative Director: Hagan de Villiers
Creative Group Head: Colin Koh
Creative Group Head: Douglas Goh
Head of Technology: Toby Thurston
Content Creator: Kimberly Ho
Social Media Executive: Lisa Oon
Art Director: Joscelyn Heng
Regional Group Brand Director: Peter Etheridge
Brand Director: Corinne Yong
Brand Executive: Irish Florentino
Project Manager: Yee Zhen Zhang
Head of Post-production: Sung Lin Gun
Head of Content Production: Monta Neinberga
Producer: Liew Mei Yun