Swift Cover – not so (Iggy Pop)ular with customers

This is the season for the insurance industry to spend heavy in order to get as many eyeballs as possible on their brand by hitting our TV screens, bus stops, newspapers and online advertising inventory with their brand and core messages. Many of the big insurers (including Swift Cover, Norwich Union, the HBOS brands and Direct Line) have gone for celebrity voices and appearances to get the attention of the audience – the jury’s out as to whether Aleksandr qualifies as a celebrity already!).

A proven method perhaps. But it appears as though some may not have considered the finer details of their underwriting when considering which celebrity they use to get their message across.

As reported on the Metro website today, Swift Cover have come unstuck with their use of the ageing American popstar, Iggy Pop. Apparently, their underwriting doesn’t cater for musicians!

Iggy claims in the Swift Cover adverts that: “I got it Swiftcovered. I got insurance on my insurance. Do it. Get a life. Get Swiftcovered.” Clearly he didn’t. The Advertising Standard Authority have received a number of complaints from musicians who claim that their advertising is misleading because they’ve been denied cover from Swift Cover due to their occupation.

But Swift Cover are not the only ones to fall into this trap. Esure (fronted for years by the film director and TV personality Michael Winner) does not provide cover for film directors. Sheila’s Wheels does not provide cover for transvestites pink cadillacs. Then again, Norwich Union doesn’t actually provide their best prices from their competitors but that’s a less glamorous story.

Do you know of any more? Does Virgin Insurance victimise virgins?! Does Compare the Market not actually compare the market?! Is Aleksandr not actually the founder of Compare the Meerkat? Does the glorified ferret actually have the business acumen and skill to create such a concept?!