The Health Insurance Authority exists to guide the Irish public through the complex and often confusing world of health insurance. But there was a problem: barely anyone knew they existed.
To change that, they needed a national campaign that would be memorable, entertaining, and crystal-clear in its message. I was brought on board to help shape the core idea, write the scripts, and give the campaign the tone and charm to land with the public.
The creative was developed in partnership with Publicis Dublin and centred on a uniquely Irish insight: when it comes to health insurance, everyone knows someone who thinks they know it all — usually, it’s your dad.
Agency: TBWA\Dublin
Client: Health Insurance Authority of Ireland
Industry: Health, Government, Public Awareness
Project Type: National TV & print campaign
Role: Strategic messaging, campaign concept, scriptwriting
Key Outcomes: Raised national awareness, improved public understanding, long-term brand platform
Establish the HIA as the definitive source for information on health insurance — in a crowded, confusing space where misinformation and assumptions often rule the day.
We built the campaign around a familiar character: the Irish Dad who knows everything — except when he doesn’t.
This comedic, character-led approach allowed us to cut through with warmth and relatability while positioning the HIA as the factual, trustworthy voice people should actually turn to. The tone was informative without being preachy, and the message was clear: “There’s only one Authority on Health Insurance… and it’s the HIA”
• A national TV and press campaign that became instantly recognisable
• Long-running tagline adopted for broader use
• Lift in public recognition and direct traffic to HIA’s website
• Strong client feedback and sustained campaign use beyond the original flight
• Campaign concept development
• Strategic insight and messaging
• TV and print scriptwriting
• Tagline development
• Creative consultation across production
Health insurance isn’t the easiest thing to get people excited about — so the campaign had to be both clear and entertaining. Balancing the educational message with the comedic tone took careful craft. We wanted people to feel like they were in on the joke, while still walking away with something useful. Getting it right meant testing lines, refining tone, and working closely with creative, strategy, and client teams.
Freelance copywriter working with agencies, brands and startups.
