Here at The Insurance Emporium we’ve been on quite a remarkable journey with Mr Benn over the last year or so. Now we’re proud to have Mr Benn and his friends feature in our brand new TV advertisement! It’s his first appearance on TV in thirteen years and it sees him alongside the ever-present Shopkeeper and his new pal Eddie the dog. This is our first ever television advertising campaign and we couldn’t think of anyone better to front it! Here’s how we helped bring Mr Benn into the 21st Century.
The beginning of Benn
Mr Benn has been a cult figure and a much loved children’s character for over 50 years now. His first book was written by David McKee and published in 1967 – so the bowler hat-wearing gent has certainly been around for a long time! It was in 1971 when Mr Benn hit the small screen for the first time in his debut tale ‘Red Knight’. The story saw Mr Benn invited to a fancy dress party. He went out looking for an outfit, stumbling across a little shop in Putney, London where the mysterious Shopkeeper helped him out with a lovely red suit of armour. As Mr Benn stepped through the door, he was transported to a medieval land and, as they say, the rest is history! Since then, a total of fourteen episodes have been created and his status as a cultural icon has lived on.
Benn there, done that
Other than a new episode in 2005, Mr Benn and friends hadn’t been on a new adventure for quite some time. Last year, we teased their latest escapade on our YouTube channel, a safari adventure which saw them run into Gus the gorilla. This teaser video had over 250k views and served to whet our appetites before the full length advert was due to debut! In 2017, we also took Mr Benn on his travels, he headed to our roadshows at Manchester Arndale Centre and London’s Waterloo Station. This gave Mr Benn’s adoring public a chance to meet him, as well as experience their own run-in with Gus. We were thrilled by the positive reaction from the public upon seeing a childhood hero back in action!
The plot thickens
In our television advert Mr Benn and Eddie try on their safari outfits and head off to the jungle. Just as they’re about to head through the door, the Shopkeeper appears… as if by magic! He reminds them to consider covering the things that they love before discovering what is on the other side of the magic door. The Shopkeeper tells them all about The Insurance Emporium and how we care for the things that matter to people. After taking the Shopkeeper’s good advice, Mr Benn and Eddie were able to step out on their safari shenanigans fully covered! Once the duo run into Gus the gorilla in the jungle, they soon realise that visiting The Insurance Emporium was a very good idea indeed!
Eddie, steady, go!
Not only has Mr Benn returned to screens, he’s brought along a new friend too! Eddie the dog has joined up with Mr Benn and the helpful shopkeeper to join in their capers. The faithful Eddie is always on hand to help Mr Benn out and will be alongside him for whatever wild exploit he’s heading on next. He’s even there to preserve Mr Benn’s modesty when he’s changing! Unfortunately for poor Eddie, his first step through the magical door doesn’t go too smoothly when he sees his camera accidently smashed by a startled Gus the gorilla. Luckily, he was covered by The Insurance Emporium thanks to the good old Shopkeeper!
And they’re off!
In January 2018, The Insurance Emporium advert screened on TV for the very first time, and the whole of the country were able to see Mr Benn and friends on safari! We even made our landmark terrestrial TV debut during the ad break for one of the nation’s favourite soaps, Coronation Street. The advert screened over one thousand times in the month of January across both ITV and Sky television channels. We’re not stopping there though, Mr Benn and friends will return later in the year on a magical new journey! Let’s hope the Shopkeeper is on hand to keep The Insurance Emporium at the front of Mr Benn’s mind!
Bringing Mr Benn into the 21st century with us has been a wonderful adventure. If, like us, you enjoy getting the most out of your time by heading on your own adventures, then it might be worth considering insuring the things that you love. Head to The Insurance Emporium today to see if we can protect your passions!
All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. We make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. We will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. We will not be liable for any loss, injury or damage arising from the display or use of this information. This policy is subject to change at any time.
