JLT Specialty’s appearance at a major trade show needed a radical new approach to stop attendees in their tracks and create the desire for immediate dialogue. The answer was a powerful motion graphics-based video, showcasing their strengths in an innovative and engaging manner.

JLT Specialty is a leading insurance and reinsurance broker, providing service in more than 130 countries around the world from its London headquarters. Although international in nature, the firm wanted to boost its brand awareness in the US and targeted a major tradeshow in Boston to spearhead this drive.

Tony Tyler, partner, head of marketing, reveals: “JLT Specialty is London’s leading speciality broker, with the scale, service and sector focus to meet client needs around the world. Our US strategy centres on creating powerful alliances with leading independent brokers and we wanted to extend our relationships both with new brokers and directly with the clients they serve.”

The desire for dialogue

Given the packed trade show, with numerous competing exhibitors, JLT Specialty needed to make an immediate impression – stopping attendees in their tracks and creating the desire for dialogue with consultants on the stand. Rather than the traditional approach of printed literature, they opted for a distinctive and powerful video.

Grist worked with JLT Specialty throughout the process, from planning and script writing, through storyboarding and animation, to editing and post-production. The process itself proved invaluable – encouraging real debate about messaging and value proposition. It unearthed new facts and figures, such as the fact that they are responsible for 22% of the Lloyd’s energy insurance premium, that they will use in other campaigns, and created the impetus for new printed collateral too.

A distinctive choice

The video is around two minutes long, and played on a continuous loop on two large screens above the stand. Each of the 19 ‘scenes’ conveys a core value statement using line art to draw viewers in to a series of bold and powerful statistics which reveal JLT Specialty’s strengths. Animation adds life to the scenes, providing an effective link between words and pictures.

JLT Specialty also wanted a distinctive soundtrack: a voice that would carry in the crowded environment of a bustling trade show. Dexter Fletcher, better known for roles in ‘Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels’ and ‘Band of Brothers’ reinforced the professional nature of the production. 

A reusable format

The video was created in a modular format, which means it is easily adapted for other uses, such as presentations, seminars and other industry events. JLT Specialty is also considering a number of foreign language translations.

Feedback so far reveals that it has been popular with clients. According to Tyler, “the principal of one Belgian broker that we already work with was impressed enough to note that it was the perfect way to convey some of ‘JLT Specialty’s best kept secrets’.” It has also captured the imagination of employees and has been used in presentations across the globe.