New Zealand operator Ryman Healthcare has won the Healthcare/Beauty category of the TVNZ-NZ Marketing 2021 awards for its “Pioneers” campaign, which featured active Ryman residents engaged in their passions.
It consists of 15 second TV ads like this.
It also has longer statement videos like this.
The campaign aimed to highlight “young-at-heart” seniors in contrast to traditional advertising, which Ryman says portrays the demographic as “frail, withdrawn and lacking purpose”.
According to Ryman Group’s new Chief Executive Richard Umbers, it has driven an uptick in sales on both sides of the Tasman.
“The campaign captured perfectly the spirit, passion and the energy of our extraordinary residents who keep telling us that life is for living.
“There is no such thing as retirement, and our residents are proof that living in a retirement village means you can pursue your passions to the full,” he said.
The judges applauded the “powerful and immediate” response to Ryman’s senior influencers.
“Their refreshing media appearance didn’t just grab attention, it provoked an outpouring of pride, appreciation and interest in a generation long overlooked and misrepresented.
“It was a great long-term view for Ryman based on a fundamental insight that recognised a change in the target audience. Shaking up preconceptions, the new communications approach was cleverly activated,” they said.
While based in NZ, Ryman has expanded quickly in Australia over the past seven years, going from one village in 2014 to five today, with another seven in development. The retirement owner/operator is set to become the largest in Melbourne.
