THE most expensive newspaper advertising campaign for a financial service is being launched by Lifetime Assurance, Bank of Ireland's pension and life company.
The campaign, designed by Bells Advertising, will cost the company "hundreds and thousands of pounds", according to the company's marketing director, Mr Mark Mortell. He said that for commercial reasons Bank of Ireland was not releasing the exact cost of the campaign.
The first phase, which started this weekend, will use full double page spreads in the broad sheet newspapers over the next three weeks and will be repeated twice more this year.
The concept focuses on little known but far reaching ideas which could become a reality in the future, including areas such as biotechnology, virtual reality and environmental decay.
In a very text based campaign, the advertisements look at how we are preparing for this change, and introduces the idea of preparing for the future with pensions.
The campaign suggests the future will be more flexible, that work will change, with less security and the probability of more part time and flexible working arrangements.
It points to a very uncertain and possibly scary future, full of frightening developments that need planning and preparation if we are to survive. Which, of course, is where pensions come into the equation.
Mr Mortell said it was the first time financial services advertising had moved away from using charts showing fund performance, or the old man in the wheelchair, for pension plan advertising.
Lifetime is looking for a 20 per cent growth with a combination for new products and the advertising campaign.
It is seeking to more than, double its market share, from its present 6 per cent to 16 per cent by 1999.
Meanwhile, the advertising agency, Quinn McDonnell Pattison/DMB&B, has formed an alliance with the Belfast company, Creative Image.
The managing director Mr Conor Quinn said the development simply reflected a reality that increasing emphasis is now being placed by more advertisers on marketing on an all Ireland basis.
The Advertising Standards Authority is currently investigation complaints received about a billboard advertisement for Gossard, the women's underwear manufacturer. The advertisement slogan says: "Who says a woman can't get pleasure from something soft?"
A spokesman said a number of complaints had been received last week. The authority was talking to the advertiser, but had not adjudicated on whether it contravened the code of practice.