The Research Agency's (TRA's) latest favourite adverts study, which asked more than 1,600 Australians to name their favourite ad on TV, has crowned Budget Direct's "Insurance Solved" campaign the nation's most-loved spot, with Allianz in second, Youi in fourth and only Toyota's HiLux managing to wedge itself into the insurance sandwich at number three. Telstra's whistling man rounded out the top five.
TRA's poll, now in its third year, is likely one of the most closely watched barometers of creative cut-through in the country, precisely because it ignores industry awards and asks consumers, unprompted, what they actually remember. Insurance firms also did very well in the June 2025 survey.
In the latest poll, the list topping Budget Direct' "Insurance Solved" advert pulled in roughly 25% of all mentions.
"It’s extra special when the Australian public vote Budget Direct’s advertising to be the best across all advertising in Australia," said a thrilled Jonathan Kerr (pictured left) to IB. Kerr is chief growth officer at Auto & General, Budget Direct's parent company.
This campaign has featured a rolling series of themed instalments, all anchored by the same cast: detectives Sarge and Jacs, alongside their sidekick Chief. The latest chapter, "Frozen", sees the trio arrive at a suburban house inexplicably encased in ice - penguins on the lawn, summer sun next door - to thaw out a homeowner frozen mid-sigh by the shock of a rival insurer's renewal quote. The formula, clearly, is still bubbling along.
"Budget Direct is now eight years into the 'Insurance Solved' campaign, which has seen us cement our position as Australia's most consistent and creative advertiser," Kerr said.
TRA found that perceived uniqueness - respondents saying "there are not many ads like this" - was the single strongest signal of a favourite.
"The 'Frozen' advert is an entertaining and relatable example of our formula," said Kerr. "Highly creative, very distinctive with very high quality production standards that do justice to Australia's most award winning insurance."
If Budget Direct's win came by way of long-running character comedy, Allianz's second-place finish was won on emotion. "Care You Can Count On" launched in 2025 with "Flight of the Finch" - a Michael Gracey-directed short film following a mother finch's stormy fight to protect her egg - and marked a deliberate pivot away from the familiar "oops-I-dented-the-car" school of insurance advertising. The latest chapter, "Adrift" tells the comeback story of Matildas midfielder Amy Sayer, who spent more than 15 months recovering from an ACL injury before returning to the national team. Instead of a conventional sports sponsorship spot, the film reimagines Sayer's recovery as a voyage lost at sea - a metaphor-driven meditation on resilience that lands the brand's "care never gives up" promise without a single shot of a crumpled bumper. It's less advertisement, more short film.
"Being recognised as the maker of one of Australia's favourite ads is something the whole team is incredibly proud of," said Shez Ford (pictured right), chief general manager, consumer at Allianz. She said the story style of the advert is entirely the point.
"These ads were born from a very simple but deeply held belief: that care, when it's real, is something you feel," she said. "We wanted to move beyond the category conventions of accidents and mishaps and instead tell a story that was cinematic, emotional and human."
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And the data seems to prove her right.
"I think what resonated with audiences is that it doesn't feel like an insurance ad," said Ford. "It feels like a story,"
According to TRA business director Alex Forrester, the thread running through every winner in this year's top five was distinctive creativity, with respondents saying across the board that "there were not many ads like this." Budget Direct and Allianz, in particular, were praised for long-running, consistent characters and platforms — proof that the insurance sector's quiet creative revolution isn't luck; it's strategy.
So the next time someone at the barbecue insists insurance is boring, you can hit them with the latest numbers: three out of four. An industry that once made Australians reach for the remote with its adverts is now making them reach for a Kleenex, or chuckle at a frozen detective.
