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London Specialty Market: A look back at some notable Insurers’ ad campaigns from the last 18 months

Outdoor has now overtaken TV as the medium that has the broadest reach and the highest number of exposures.”

Les Binet
Marketing Effectiveness Guru

As the 2025 Insurindex London Market Brand Index event approaches, we wait with bated breath to see who will win the top spot this year.

With this in mind, it’s the perfect time to look back at some of the London insurers’ above-the-line (ATL) marketing campaigns, which are especially important when one considers that effective long-term brand building in B2B is the proven way to build business profitably.

The latest thinking on B2B marketing also highlights the effectiveness of so-called ‘outdoor advertising’ (a subcategory of ATL), and it’s interesting to see how many of the new campaigns for London-based players are outdoor. It is definitely on trend—and just to be clear, pubs and tube stations count as outdoor.

Les Binet, Marketing Effectiveness Guru (who, by the way, will be the keynote at our Marketing Summit event in March), says: “Outdoor has now overtaken TV as the medium that has the broadest reach and the highest number of exposures.”

Well done to all those insurers for embracing the outdoor advertising vibe – more power to your brands!

Beazley’s Drone Show

In 2023, Beazley collaborated with SKYMAGIC, the world’s leading drone light show company, to pull off an incredible drone display against the London skyline.

According to SKYMAGIC’s website: “The drones moved in flowing, continuous line formations above the Thames, showcasing the essence of the unique brand.” Around 400 drones were used in the fantastic display, showcasing a variety of visuals, including a scannable QR code.

The drone show was an innovative and unique move for the brand, being the first-ever commercial drone show to take place in the City of London.

Photo Credit: Beazley

Beazley, Chaucer, and Liberty Tube and Bus Advertisements

Along with their stunning drone light display, Beazley also took to tube stations to promote their campaign.

Last year, the company transformed an entire travelator tunnel at Bank station with their signature pink – unforgettable, we say.

In 2023, Beazley also had a fleet of eye-catching campaign advertisements at tube stations such as Bank, Fenchurch Street, and Cannon Street.

Much like Beazley, Chaucer and Liberty Specialty Markets have also capitalised on the visibility and huge footfall of tube stations and bus stops with their latest campaigns.

Photo Credit: Convex

The Convex Arms

In November, Convex collaborated with Glendale Creative, a graphic design agency, to open their own pub called The Convex Arms. The pub was a pop-up in Leadenhall Market and was open for one week only.

The pub had a full menu, serving mainly burgers and alcohol provided by Boom Bar Burgers. Convex’s logo was visible everywhere, including on menus, the bar, and even branded onto burger buns.

Visitors to the pop-up were able to join for breakfast, lunch, or after-work drinks. Great work, obvious, but not obvious if you know what I mean.

Chaucer: We Find a Way (Through the Maze…)

According to a LinkedIn post: “Chaucer hosted an experimental game, where the purpose of the game was to highlight how innovative thinking helps solve complex risks and challenges, showcasing how we approach risk with creativity and expertise.”

The augmented-reality (AR) game took place outside the Lloyd’s building, with one winner receiving a prize of two return flights to Las Vegas. A great way to use a brand asset to build visible engagement with your brand.

Liberty’s Black Cab for Claims

For their Raising the Bar for Claims campaign, Liberty Specialty Markets wrapped a London black cab in blue, prominently displaying the RTBFC slogan…alongside the Gracechurch Quality Marque awards! Proof points alongside marketing, on point.

This was a first for claims campaigning, and it will be interesting to see if others follow suit.

Photo Credits: Hiscox

Hiscox’s Latest Campaign in Partnership with Other UK Brands

For Hiscox’s latest campaign, they partnered with Specsavers, Weetabix, and Cillit Bang to bring the risk of copyright infringement to life in a unique and fun way.

According to their LinkedIn: “At first glance, it looks like a set of ads for three iconic British brands, but on closer inspection, they reveal themselves to be playful business insurance adverts raising awareness of a risk many of our customers face.”

From state-of-the-art drone shows to pop-up burger spots, ATL branding within the London Specialty Market has proven to have no limits.

In a sea of sameness, all these insurers have deployed innovative and creative approaches to ensure that their brands are recognised, remembered, and considered ahead of their competitors.

These brands also understand how to captivate and engage with audiences, so we are excited to see how they all perform in this year’s Brand Index, as well as what other innovative campaigns they have in store for the years ahead.

To find out more about the Brand Index, click here.