Local knowledge is lekkerder! Hollard launches new broker campaign that speaks your language

Hollard unveiled its new We Are Where You Are broker-focused campaign, emphasising the power of solid on-the-ground relationships in delivering shared value and “local is lekker” solutions to customers across the insurance spectrum, from farming and cargo to travel and construction.

The new campaign celebrates broker partnerships and the value of localised insurance solutions to local challenges.

Speaking at the #WeAreWhereYouAre launch in Parktown, Hollard Insure, CEO Nash Omar said that being a purpose-driven, “eyeballs-and-handshakes” insurer means that Hollard prides itself on personal interaction amid the rise of artificial intelligence.

“The world is continuously changing, and so is our industry,” he said. “The last three years have been quite challenging as we contemplated unprecedented challenges of a seismic nature. As an industry, we’ve stood the test of time – and brokers have added value and changed the way we work forever.

“Insurance is the heartbeat of every industry, and in a turbulent world it is physical partnerships that are crucial, being part of a bigger community. Whether you’re in Nelspruit or in high-octane Jozi, there will never be a one-size-fits-approach, as communities’ and brokers’ needs differ from region to region.”

Abdul Ebrahim, Head of the Johannesburg Region at Hollard, said the Joburg campaign launch marked the culmination of a roadshow that had travelled to 10 regions, celebrating broker partnerships throughout the country.

“Each region has its own unique community, risk challenges and solutions,” he noted, “and meeting our customers where they are is crucial to providing exceptional service. This includes understanding your language where you are.” He said Covid-19, severe weather events and load-shedding had shown that “the issues we face make us who we are – a local community”.

‘People do business with people’

Highlighting the power of forging genuine connections, Pierre Geyer, Hollard’s Managing Executive for Regions and Trucking, added that insurance “is not about a spreadsheet but about people … [because] people do business with people at the end of the day”.

“Hollard started from a brokerage 43 years ago, inspired by finding an innovative way of doing business differently, and that’s the cornerstone of where we are today. When we talk about local is lekker, it’s about partnerships, innovation and, ultimately, about the people.”

Coenraad de Bruin, who heads up specialist insurance at Hollard, said it’s important to walk the talk when it comes to good corporate citizenship. For example, its Marine line no longer allows nurdles – small, harmful non-recyclable plastic pellets – in the cargo it insures.

“We’re also proud to be the only insurer willing to insure [former Constitutional Court judge] Albie Sachs when he travels to the United Nations to address human rights issues, and we were the only personal accident and travel provider to provide Covid benefits in the eye of the storm.”

Illustrating the concept of shared value through the insurer’s Hollard Highway Heroes and Tshwane-Hollard Fire Hydrants Initiative partnerships, Hollard Head of Marketing and Customer Adel Kriel observed, “We’re mindful that for Agri, a tractor is not just a tractor – it’s pivotal to people’s livelihoods. And for Marine, a ship is not just a ship – it keeps an economy afloat.

Speaking your language where you are

“Speaking your language means meeting you where you are now – from handling a minor motor claim to uniting communities after a catastrophe – to build better futures for our customers. It means we speak Agriculture, Marine, Equipage, Travel, Construction and Engineering. More than that, it means we work with brokers who make it their business to know our customers’ business.”

Said Michelle Wedderburn of Broker Solutions Group, “It’s absolutely important in insurance to have localised knowledge, be connected to the community and understand local needs. Every region is different, and it’s vital to have a connection with people and understand the differences in everyone’s businesses, which Hollard does well. They believe in partnerships and you always have access to anyone in the company. They mean what they say and deliver on their promises.”

She said the manner in which the insurance industry rallied to provide pandemic relief, “understanding that people were financially burdened and losing their jobs”, showed its humanity. “They were saying thank you for your loyalty and support over the years and giving clients something back … there was a sense of community, care and responsibility to step up and do the right thing.”

Wedderburn said the new We Are Where You Are campaign “is about eyeballs and handshakes and ‘local is lekker’, but also ‘we are where you are because we understand what you are going through’. It’s quite a powerful campaign.”

Click here to view the campaign video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCJeuKvzXdE