Joanne Russell, chief operations officer at Cobra Network, speaks on her firm’s entry to the Marketing Campaign of the Year category for this year’s Insurance Times Awards
1. Why did Cobra Network enter the Marketing Campaign of the Year category?
We’ll be honest – entering this category felt like a long shot. We knew we would be up against bigger budgets, bigger teams and bigger campaigns. But we back underdogs and this work felt true to who we are.
It was not a one off burst of marketing – we have lived it, eaten it and it has become our platform. It aligned our internal and external voice, shifted perceptions and embodies our brand.
The strong results in network member growth and engagement are a bonus we are grateful for. Even without these achievements, we would still be proud because the campaign brought clarity, unity and purpose. We entered to share that authentic story.
2. What makes your entry stand out and why should you win?
Our campaign stands out because it is simple, honest and true to us. We did not have big budgets or big agency spend, so every element had to work hard.
No gimmicks, no glitter – just clear, straight talking ideas that did what they said on the tin. It became more than a campaign – it became a platform. We know our audience and the message resonated, shown by organic results.
We also flipped a perceived weakness – “free cost” – into many positives around “free”, reframing value. It was intentionally basic but clever, practical and fun. We are grateful it cut through in a crowded market by being real.
3. What would winning this award mean to you and your organisation?
Winning would mean the world to a small team in a big industry. It would be proud recognition for everyone who built and lived this work – our marketing team and the wider network.
We believe cost shouldn not be a barrier and we have proved it – a simple idea, well executed, without big budgets. Our numbers may be small to others, but they were transformative for us.
The campaign sparked real change, brought people together and delivered impact. We’re grateful for the journey. We had fun doing it and winning this award would be a humble, motivating milestone for our team.
Hosted by comedian and actor Tom Allen, 34 Gold, 23 Silver and 22 Bronze awards were handed out across an amazing 34 categories recognising brilliance and innovation right across the breadth of UK general insurance.
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