Forging new ground in the wake of GN16

At The Giles Agency, we have always championed clear, concise writing that is easy to understand and gets straight to the point. That’s why many of Hong Kong’s best loved insurers picked us to help them revamp their product brochures and customer communications when GN16 was issued in 2015 by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance, Hong Kong’s insurance regulator.

What is GN16?

To enhance consumer protection for products like life insurance, long-term savings plans and medical insurance, Guidance Note 16 on Underwriting Long-Term Insurance Business, or GN16, introduces principles for treating customers fairly, and catering to the reasonable expectations of customers holding an insurance policy.

Among other things, this meant that marketing materials and other customer communication needed to be more explicit in terms of benefits, risks and caveats, so that customers could form reasonable expectations about the product. It also meant that legalese went out the window. All customer communications had to be written in plain language that is easy for anyone to pick up and understand.

Introducing new voices to the industry

GN16 signaled sweeping changes across the Hong Kong insurance industry, prompting insurers to not only re-evaluate their communications, but also refresh their tone and messaging for a new generation of savvy consumers.

In the year that followed, we rolled up our sleeves and developed over 80 product brochures plus countless other webpages and sales materials, infusing them with a brand voice that is personal and easy to understand, yet succinct enough to communicate details about the insurance product in a transparent way. We also developed frameworks for communicating technical concepts in layman-friendly language that meets industry requirements. Some of these frameworks are still being used today.

Planning is the key to success

Timing and preparation were crucial to these large-scale projects. By working closely with our clients, we were able to deliver copy within tight timeframes. However, the clients who planned ahead gave us time to develop strategic frameworks that we could apply across all brochures, ensuring consistency. This also enabled us to save time in the long run, which translated directly to savings for the customer.

Are you planning a large campaign or major rehaul project? Bring us in during the early stages, and let’s talk about how we can help you achieve your goals.