ADVERTISING

Direct Assurance AXA GROUP

Black Cat

Agency: Artefact 3000

Description

Direct Assurance unveils a film for when bad luck strikes. Does crossing paths with a black cat bring bad luck?
One thing is certain: with its new brand spot titled "Black Cat," created by the agency Artefact 3000, Direct Assurance helps you land on your feet.
With its new brand film "Black Cat," created by agency Artefact 3000, Direct Assurance asserts that you don't have to be lucky when you have good insurance. Amid ongoing inflation, as underinsurance gains ground and its image as a digital insurer may still raise questions, the brand affirms its service quality through a brand film that demonstrates the importance of having effective insurance for everyday claims.
A story that doesn't just purr along
This is the story of a father and his daughter who adopt an abandoned kitten. From the moment it enters their lives, a streak of bad luck begins to pile up, and doubt creeps into the father's mind: what if this cat is bringing them bad luck? After all, it is a black cat.
Faced with the ultimate symbol of bad luck, superstition grows… Always in the wrong place at the wrong time, the animal becomes the ideal culprit for the multiplying mishaps. By twisting thriller tropes into comedy, the film shows this cat mocking the father… while playing with the audience.
Fortunately, thanks to Direct Assurance, the father gets back on his feet, realizing that bad luck no longer has any impact on their lives. In this way, the brand proves its service quality through a strong metric: "At Direct Assurance, more than 9 out of 10 customers are satisfied with their claims resolution."
The film of a major everyday insurer
Direct Assurance, a subsidiary of the AXA Group, is a 100% online insurer offering auto, home, health, and motorcycle insurance. Today, Direct Assurance offers the services of a major insurance provider alongside solid guarantees at highly competitive rates: a dedicated advisor in the event of a claim, phone answers in under a minute, valet service, hotel emergency rehousing, and more.
In a complex economic context where auto and home insurance represent essential expenses for French households (nearly 1.7 million people lacked home insurance in 2024, a +34% increase compared to 2010), Direct Assurance defends a simple conviction: making quality insurance accessible to everyone.
But while the brand is recognized for its attractive pricing, its status as a 100% digital insurer can still raise questions regarding service quality, particularly during claims handling.
This brand spot aims to address this perception of Direct Assurance by highlighting its core strength: high-quality daily support and service during critical moments. It is a promise backed by concrete results: over three years, post-claim customer satisfaction gained 11 points, rising from 80.8% in 2023 to 91.8% in 2026.
A production worthy of a feature film
Following its writing at Artefact 3000, the commercial was designed like a cinematic film. The approach: 100% live-action camera—no AI, no 3D. Directed by renowned filmmaker Tim Bullock, who played with thriller tropes and footage shot in CinemaScope, it was produced by LA/PAC with sound production by Schmooze. The score was entrusted to film composer Mathieu Lamboley, who created an original piece for the occasion: "The Black Cat Theme".
A 360° Campaign
The campaign will launch on September 6th across TV / OLV (online video) in 60s, 45s, and 30s formats, as well as outdoor (OOH) and social media.

This professional campaign titled 'Black Cat' was published in France and Multinational Europe in September, 2026. It was created for the brands: AXA GROUP and Direct Assurance, by ad agency: Artefact 3000. This 360° and Film media campaign is related to the Insurance industry and contains 1 media asset. It was submitted 41 minutes ago.

Credits

Director: Tim Bullock

Direct Assurance
Directeur Marketing: Loïc Kueny
Responsable Marque: Héloïse Clerc
Responsable Communication Externe: Tristan Perreur
Responsable Acquisition: Caroline Besançon
Responsable Média: Juliette Wilhem

Agency: Artefact 3000
Président: François Brogi
Directrice Associée: Marie Chapuis
Directrice de Clientèle: Amandine Mory
Cheffe de Publicité: Anouck Vallez
Planneuse Stratégique: Pauline Luzerne
Directeur de Création: Charles Pivot
Directeur Artistique: Steven Poindron
Directeur Artistique: Adrien Kelejian
Assistant DA: Edouard Poudat
Producer: Isabelle Menard

Production: La Pac
Director: Tim Bullock
Executive Producer: Eric Lipchitz
Line Producer: Renaud Jaget
Production Coordinator: Lucie Gardes

Director's Team
1st AD: Ben Gill

Camera
DOP: Rasmus Videbaek

Production Service: Magiconset
Executive Producer: Aurimas Pukevicius
Head of Production: Ramojus Petrauskas
Production Manager: Vilmante Bugenyte
Production Coordinator: Agata Suduiko

Cast
Dad: Jack Baldwin
Daughter: Grace Biggerstaff

Post Production: La Pac
Head of Post Production: Laurence Lelong
VFX Supervisor: Laurent Pili
Post Production Coordinator: Axelle Duarte
Editor: Benjamin Weill, Cyril Nakache
Editing Assistant: Emilien Denis, Bradley Ratolojanahary

Color Grading: Company 3
Producer: Kerri Aungle
Colorist: Jean-Clément Soret, Mathieu Toullet

VFX
Executive Producer: Emily Newbould
VFX Supervisor: Mikey Brown
Flame Artist: Jacob Street

Production Son: Schmooze
Producteur: Grégoire Galian
Compositeur: Mathieu Lamboley

Media Agency: Hearts & Science

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