Hiscox has taken its tongue-in-cheek ‘Most Disastrous Campaign Ever’ into print, extending the insurer’s long-running habit of turning mistakes into eye-catching adverts.
The press executions, which were created with Uncommon Creative Studio, use the adverts as examples of the very blunders Hiscox Business Insurance is designed to protect against.
One double-page spread appears to feature an upside-down advert printed only on the lower half of the page, accompanied by the line: “If you mess up a client job and your whole world turns upside down, Hiscox could help protect you.”
In reality, the entire spread is the advert, with the rest of the page mocked up as six mini news stories carrying headlines such as “This isn’t just news; it’s an advert for Hiscox Business Insurance,” and “Not every disaster is as obvious as this one.”
Versions were created to resemble both Metro and The Times.
Other executions continue the playful theme. One takes a swipe at over-reliance on AI in copywriting with the headline: “Sure! Here’s a revised headline for the print campaign in the Hiscox tone of voice – let me know if you want any adjustments.”
Another “accidentally” prints a double-page ad across the wrong sides of the spread.
The campaign builds on previous stunts, including posters riddled with typos, radio spots recorded in the wrong language and a blank Metro cover-wrap mimicking a missed supply deadline.
It also follows last year’s ‘Infringement’ work, which cheekily mimicked Specsavers, Weetabix and Cillit Bang to highlight the risks of copyright missteps.