Sorting out insurance probably won’t make anyone feel like a movie star. Confused.com, however, has found a way to make that fleeting sense of accomplishment feel considerably more entertaining.
Created by Leo UK, the latest chapter of the award-winning Just Used Confused.com platform revolves around three familiar British sayings. They are “the cat that got the cream,” “laughing ’til the cow comes home” and “the early bird gets the worm.” Each 20-second film takes one expression literally. Viewers then enter a handcrafted world of animal puppets where the idiom becomes the joke.
A Star Is Born in the Supermarket
Each film starts in the real world. Someone has just finished sorting their insurance, and that small victory triggers a trip into a much stranger universe.
In The Cat That Got the Cream, an ageing ginger tom in slippers wanders through a supermarket. He spots some double cream and decides he deserves a treat.
Laughing ’til the Cow Comes Home introduces Pig and Sheep, two laid-back housemates enjoying themselves on the sofa. Their fun ends when Cow returns from work, briefcase in hand and visibly unimpressed.
Then there’s The Early Bird That Got the Worm. A smug blue tit proudly carries her prize in a shopping bag while reminding the other birds that they should have set their alarms.
BlinkInk directors Andy Biddle and Adeena Grubb helped develop the puppets. Their stop-motion expertise gives every character a distinct personality. Biddle worked as a lead animator on Fantastic Mr. Fox and Isle of Dogs. Grubb is an award-winning puppet maker and animation director.
The Joke Is in the Details
The campaign gets even better on repeat viewings. Fish-themed supermarket signs fill the first miniature world. A Live Laugh Moo poster hangs in the living room. Next door, viewers can spot businesses called Beak Boutique and Hatch & Sons.
The films also hide references to Peep Show and other British sitcoms. The characters even get names inspired by the series, including Mark Cowigan and Jeremy UsPork.
All those details support a simple idea. Getting through life’s tedious admin can feel surprisingly good. Confused.com simply decided that feeling deserved a grumpy cow, a smug bird and a cat with excellent taste in dairy.
The campaign runs across TV, BVOD, social and radio in the UK, with shorter edits supporting the main films.
The cow has a briefcase. I’m already taking this more seriously than most insurance ads. — Julian Vega
