Resolute in pursuing new challenges, AXA Philippines Chief Marketing Officer Fernando “Nandy” Villar has spent much of his career helping brands connect with people through meaningful stories. After more than two decades with McCann Worldgroup Philippines and eight years at ABS-CBN, he found himself reflecting on what growth could look like in the next chapter of his career.
For Nandy, that meant stepping into an unfamiliar space and embracing the opportunity to keep learning.
“I’ve done more of the same things for more than 20 years. [But] I can learn new things, still. I [am] not as young anymore, but I think I still [have] the energy — the passion — to grow, to learn,” Nandy shared.
That perspective has also shaped how he approaches marketing: looking beyond products and campaigns to understand the realities people navigate every day.
The “Everyday Protectors”
The inspiration behind AXA’s latest campaign came from a simple observation: in many Filipino families, there is often someone quietly taking responsibility for others. They are the people who keep households running, make important financial decisions, plan family milestones, support loved ones through challenges, and think ahead so those around them can feel secure. Their contributions often go unnoticed, yet they play a vital role in the lives of the people they care for.
AXA’s “Everyday Protectors” campaign seeks to shine a light on these individuals, not as heroes in the traditional sense, but as ordinary people who consistently show up for others through small but meaningful acts of care and responsibility.
“These people are in charge of protecting other people. They got other people’s backs, but if you think about it, who’s got theirs?” Nandy posed the question.
“That’s what inspired the whole campaign — talking to people who are in charge of other people. […] We thought that was a meaningful and compelling space to convey a good message about insurance,” he added.
When asked how they were able to pinpoint the most common problems that people face, Nandy quickly responded, saying, “It’s not that difficult to collect stories. These are things that we encounter every day. We just had to talk to our salespeople, ‘Tell us, what’s the most interesting case or claim that you handled recently?’ […] We picked up quite a number of interesting stories from there.”
An umbrella for rainy days
Comprising four brand films, the “Everyday Protectors” campaign tells true-to-life tales of difficult situations that breadwinners experience: a travel nightmare, a wedding mishap, a health crisis, and a business obstacle. And in each one, AXA swoops in as the breadwinner’s very own protector through the company’s insurance offerings that cover health, travel, motor, and SME (small to medium enterprises).
“We tried to be as organic as possible, basing on real stories that we’ve actually seen up close and personal from […] our customers,” Nandy said, clarifying the inspiration behind the videos. “AXA is in a unique position among the insurance companies in the Philippines since it offers life, health, and non-life insurance solutions. In that sense, we are a one-stop-shop, so to speak. And many of our products are best in class in the market, providing superior coverage and benefits.”
He explained that the reason AXA chose to focus on health, travel, motor and SME insurance for this campaign is simply because these are most relevant to “everyday protectors” or breadwinners, besides life insurance which is a basic or minimum coverage that everyone should have. Everyone needs health insurance because getting hospitalized these days could lead to staggering bills and many times HMO coverage is not sufficient. For non-life, road and travel accidents or mishaps can be very costly too if one is not properly covered. And for small business owners who don’t have a full war chest of resources and funds, insurance can help a lot when catastrophes affect their businesses.
“We thought that these are good examples of what people can really use every day, to create relevance for what we offer as solutions,” he added.
A new hope
One trend that Nandy and the team at AXA have noticed among people who sign up for insurance policies is that the demographic is getting younger. Millennials and Gen Zs, in particular, are becoming more interested and proactive in getting insurance policies.
“We’re seeing that in our online channels, they’re not just responding to our ads. They’re actually searching [for us]. A lot of the traffic that we get on our website is from search, so people are proactively seeking it. And we’re seeing that those that engage with us online are actually younger people, 25 to 45 years old, which in my generation, I could not imagine happening. None of my peers would seek out getting insurance! So, I think younger people are seeing the value of financial planning in general,” he shared.
From the lens of someone in the insurance industry, Nandy sees that there’s still work to be done to help people appreciate and understand what insurance can do for them. But this also presents an opportunity for AXA to simplify the solutions for everyday people.
He cited the increasing number of people joining the gig economy, such as ride-hailing service drivers and OFWs who leave their families behind to provide them with a better life. He demonstrated how these providers need a security blanket for the unexpected, should it happen.
“We should also think about how to look at the prevention aspect, because insurance comes in when the mishap is already there. But the real proactive way of doing it is to have a more prevention-first mindset,” he said.
For AXA, this means helping communities anticipate risks, prepare for them, and recover more quickly by delivering solutions that address their unique everyday needs.
A reward worth taking the risk for
Every worthwhile reward in life comes with risk, and so does the pursuit of a life fully lived. To Nandy, satiating his hunger for growth meant switching to a new path in insurance after a solid career in advertising. And for the everyday protectors of the family, providing a better life for their loved ones means being prepared for any and all plights that may befall them at any time.
Fortunately for both, AXA has their backs.
