BtoB's Best - Direct (Single): Burns & Wilcox

Winner

Burns & Wilcox

Agency: Real Integrated, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Campaign: “Environmental Exposure” Launch date: June 2011 Creative credits: President-creative director: John Ozdych, Real Integrated Why we liked it: What's the worst that could happen? It's the question that drives the entire insurance industry and one that insurer Burns & Wilcox poses to its target audience. The piece features the image of workers spray-painting a bridge as a large barrel of paint falls over the side. To see an animation depicting the worst-case scenario, recipients can scan a QR code with their smartphone. Spoiler alert: The resulting animation is a bit goofy, with dead fish popping to the river's surface and a Loch Ness-like monster snapping at the workers, but it's a playfully worthwhile payoff for the viewer's time and effort. Insurers walk a fine line in discussing would-be disasters. We hate anxiety-mongering or overblown attempts to manipulate our emotions, but this effort makes us chuckle while making its point. Most important, the copy can stand on its own for those readers who don't scan the QR code.