Direct Line relaunches red phone and mouse icons

Direct Line is relaunching its classic red phone icon in a new campaign that breaks today (January 5). It will also see the return of the computer mouse on wheels.

The ads, which have been created by M&C Saatchi, are narrated by TV personalities Stephen Fry and Paul Merton, and will continue the insurance brand’s stance against price comparison sites.

The RBS Group-owned brand launched a crusade against price comparison sites last year following its decision not be listed on web aggregators.

Direct Line says the animated campaign is a return to its classic advertising of the mid-Eighties when it became the first major insurer to deal directly with customers rather than through brokers.

The campaign covers Direct Line’s motor, home, pet, travel and life insurance products using TV supported by radio, press, direct mail and online. Media planning and buying is through MediaCom.

Direct Line marketing director Mike Tildesley says: “Many consumers have the impression that price comparison websites compare all the products on the market and we need to educate them that this is simply not true.”