Bupa’s biggest ever SME campaign shines a light on the commercial benefits of investing in the health and wellbeing of employees

10/06/24: Bupa UK Insurance is launching a major brand campaign aimed at the UK’s 1.5m small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SME)[1] with employees, to show how proactive health and wellbeing support is key to achieving growth ambitions with a team that is more productive, resilient and motivated.

B2B brand and content agency Rationale has undertaken Bupa’s first brand-building campaign specifically targeted at SMEs, spearheading an always-on, through-the-funnel programme of activity. It stretches across addressable TV, CTV, digital radio and podcast advertising, out of home (targeting business commuters and trade SMEs in transport hubs and on arterial business routes) and is supported by paid social media activity on LinkedIn and Meta. A forthcoming partnership has also been established with The Times.

‘Let’s Get Growing’ features happy and healthy small business teams at the top of their game, driving key moments of business growth such as expansion, winning new clients, meeting increased demand and performing under pressure. The campaign showcases businesses across a range of sectors, representing the diversity of UK SMEs and Bupa’s customers. Its hero campaign film can be viewed on Vimeo here.

The campaign team identified that many SMEs need a partner to help support their employees’ health and wellbeing and tackle challenges such as presenteeism, burnout and staff turnover. These held team performance back and ultimately stifled business growth.

Analysis of Bupa’s current SME customers revealed they have been three times more likely to experience more than 30% revenue growth in two years, compared to the average performance of small businesses in the UK.

Daniel Sullivan, Director of B2B Marketing, Proposition & Product Delivery at Bupa UK Insurance, said: “This campaign marks an important milestone for Bupa B2B, representing our biggest ever push to help SMEs realise their growth potential by finding a partner who can support the health and wellbeing of their people, and realise the benefits of workplace healthcare. SMEs are the backbone of the British economy and we want to make sure they have the happy, healthy people they need to support their growth ambitions.

“Whether providing fast access to GPs, comprehensive mental health support or HR advice and resources for business owners, Bupa is committed to keeping SME teams at their best and ready to grow,” he added.

Co-founder and Managing Director of Edinburgh-based Rationale, Rowan Morrison, said: “Rationale is incredibly excited about our role in bringing the ‘Let’s Get Growing’ campaign to life. It is an excellent demonstration of our ongoing strategic and creative partnership with Bupa, and we’re proud of what we have achieved by working so closely with the Bupa B2B team.

“At Rationale, we support our clients to create more valuable connections with their customers; and with the ‘Let’s Get Growing’ proposition we feel we are speaking directly to the needs and ambitions of Bupa’s SME audience. The potential for these businesses to benefit from health insurance has been a huge motivating factor for us in creating a campaign that resonates,” she continued.

Working alongside Rationale to deliver the campaign is media agency Initiative; marketing consultancy Stick & Twist; film production agency Lost Clock; and photographer Harrison Reid.

[1]https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/business-population-estimates-2023/business-population-estimates-for-the-uk-and-regions-2023-statistical-release