Sydney-based start-up Butter Insurance has turned heads in Kings Cross with a clever marketing stunt to launch their latest Christmas campaign, “When Things Go Wrong this Christmas”.
A billboard near the iconic Coke sign featured what appeared to be an advertising faux pas—an image placeholder with the universally recognised ‘lorem ipsum’ dummy text.
Passers-by expecting to see a polished ad were instead greeted with a seemingly unfinished billboard, which left them confused and laughing at the billboard error and praying for the marketing intern’s job.
However, those with a keen eye would quickly discern the cleverness behind the stunt. The billboard, upon closer inspection, contained a punchline: “When things go wrong this Christmas.”
“The best ideas often come from the most unexpected places,” says Josh Kessel, marketing lead at Butter Insurance. “Our billboard is a metaphor for life—sometimes it doesn’t go as planned, but Butter Insurance is here to help you pick up the pieces during the holiday season and beyond”.
The campaign ingeniously plays on the theme of mishaps and the need for insurance, even in the world of advertising. It suggests that Butter Insurance is the go-to solution for unforeseen events during the festive season.
Butter’s cheeky yet smart advertising has not only captured the attention of locals but has also gained attention on social media, going viral on TikTok.
The Kings Cross billboard is not the first time they’ve played with cheeky, more contemporary marketing. A previous campaign that also turned heads featured the tagline “For when Josh, 25, should’ve had kleptomaniac in his dating profile” – a play on protecting your things from unexpected thieves.
