GIO turns its logo into a ‘safety mat’ in new brand platform via Leo Australia

GIO has launched a new brand platform positioning the insurer as the “safety mat” Aussies can rely on when life throws unexpected curveballs, unveiling a creative system that transforms the ‘I’ in its logo into a universal symbol of protection.

Created by Leo Australia, the campaign introduces Great Insurance, Obviously as a refreshed articulation of what GIO stands for, aiming to cut through category sameness and sharpen the brand’s meaning at a time when consumer confidence in insurance is under pressure.

The work leans into everyday mishaps – from parallel parking accidents to petty theft – using a subversive comedic tone rather than traditional insurance tropes. The safety mat becomes a visual shorthand for reassurance, offering a soft landing when things go wrong.

Mim Haysom, executive general manager brand and customer experience at Suncorp Group, said the platform builds on GIO’s long heritage while giving the brand a more distinctive and emotionally resonant voice.

“Over the past century, GIO has built a reputation as an iconic NSW brand, trusted and reliable for our customers. With Great Insurance, Obviously, we’re giving the brand a fresh, unmistakably GIO feel demonstrating how we meet our customer expectations with clarity and confidence, and connecting in a way that’s more fun and more emotional,” Haysom said.

Leo Australia executive creative director Tim Woolford said the brief was to bring sharper meaning back to what GIO represents.

“GIO has been around forever, but what it actually means to Aussies was becoming a bit fuzzy. This campaign sets out to change that by positioning GIO as a brand that stands for safety, and for great insurance, obviously,” Woolford said.

“We’ve tried to avoid lofty insurance tropes in favour of a more subversive comedic style. We want Aussies to feel like GIO really is a safety mat for all the ordinary ‘life stuff’ that can suddenly go wrong.”

The platform is designed to operate as a long-term brand asset, with the safety mat device embedded across creative executions and brand touchpoints.

Media, led by OMD, will roll out across TV, out-of-home, digital and social.