NDIS plan manager, My Plan Manager has launched a new national campaign via Showpony, embracing a long-standing category challenge and turning it into a distinctive brand asset.
Despite holding a leading market share, awareness of any plan manager—let alone My Plan Manager itself—remains low across the sector. Early strategic exploration revealed an interesting insight: the brand name ‘My Plan Manager’ is so universal-sounding that many people mistake it for a generic reference to their own provider. Rather than avoiding that confusion, the team chose to spotlight it.
Isaac Smith, chief growth officer at My Plan Manager, said the brand’s leadership position meant the business needed a bold approach to match. “It was important for us to find a way to build on our market position, while really increasing brand awareness. This concept helps us do exactly that.”
Inspired by Dude, Where’s My Car? and Abbott & Costello’s iconic “Who’s on First?” routine, the campaign centres on escalating misunderstandings. Each spot features NDIS participants living fuller, easier lives thanks to professional plan management—only to send friends and family into spirals of confusion as they repeatedly refer to My Plan Manager by name.
For Showpony creative director Rory Kennett-Lister, the campaign’s comedic roots were a surprising career milestone: “I never thought the ‘Dude/Sweet’ tattoo scene from Dude, Where’s My Car – which I watched more times than I care to admit – would have a positive impact on my professional life. But here we are.”
As Nicole Maley-Randall, national marketing and communications manager at My Plan Manager, explains, the humour is intentional and strategic. “We wanted to do something out-of-category and cut through the noise. The fact that we could do that while saying the brand name over and over again was all the better.”
In addition to building brand recognition the 360° integrated campaign reinforces the brand’s core promise: giving participants control and freeing them from admin so they can get on with living.
To bring the campaign to life, Showpony partnered with Director Dave Ockendon of Proetic Productions, and Photography by Neasan McGuinness.
“We wanted genuine humour and we wanted a distinct aesthetic. Getting the right people together was integral. From finding incredible performers, to the art direction, to working tirelessly on the edits, the production team really brought it to life,” added Kennett-Lister.
The campaign was developed in close partnership with people with lived experience of disability, who were consulted at every stage. This commitment to authentic representation earned the work Inclusively Made certification.
The campaign has begun rollout across connected TV, YouTube, Spotify, and various social/digital platforms via media agency Connected.
Credits:
My Plan Manager
National Marketing & Communications Manager – Nicole Maley-Randall
Chief Growth Officer – Isaac Smith
Agency
Creative Director – Rory Kennett-Lister
Senior Creative – Andy Scott
Art Director – Laura Marcus
Account Director – Sophie Allchurch
Agency Producer – Alex O’Neil
Production
Production Company – Proetic Productions
Director – David Ockenden
DOP – Riley Scott
Photography – Neasan McGuinness
Media Planning
Connected
