Disruptive Marketing AXA – Three Words: Simple Update, Massive Impact

AXA – Three Words: Simple Update, Massive Impact

20 June 2025

AXA France identified a harrowing reality: for many women, the home—rather than being a sanctuary—can be the most dangerous place.

In France, reports of domestic violence have surged dramatically, doubling from 124,000 in 2016 to over 270,000 in 2023, with estimates indicating nearly one million women affected each year. Recognizing that 77% of calls to the national domestic violence helpline cite urgent housing needs, AXA and Publicis Conseil addressed a critical yet neglected barrier: victims’ inability to find safe shelter fast.

Leveraging its expertise in emergency rescue—traditionally used for fire or flood victims—AXA redefined home insurance by integrating domestic-violence coverage into its policies. This groundbreaking move added just “three words” to legal contracts—”and domestic violence”—but carried profound impact: it obligated the insurer to provide victims and their children with immediate legal, psychological, financial assistance and guaranteed emergency relocation for at least seven days, with renewals as needed. An internal specialized unit, available 24/7, ensures secure, anonymous transfers into safe accommodations and organizes transport, while a helpline staffed by trained lawyers offers support during longer-term planning.

To announce the shift, the campaign launched in March 2025 across TV, billboards, digital, and social channels. A powerful TV spot and striking posters emphasized the impact of those three words. A two-minute explainer video outlined how the support works for victims and their families, offering clarity and reassurance. A companion documentary by Marjory Dejardin and Sarah Barukh followed a victim’s journey from first contact with AXA to safe relocation, revealing the human care behind the system.

This initiative represents far more than image-building. It transforms insurance into a tool of societal protection by instating a literal lifeline for those escaping violence, amplifying AXA’s decade-long collaboration with women’s rights groups. By using its contractual power and logistical resources, AXA ensures immediate safety, bridging victims into community-based long-term care. Publicis Conseil’s creative strategy underlines this empowerment: those three small words hold the weight to turn insurance into action, saying clearly to victims and society that “you are not alone, solutions exist, and you can ask for help”.

AWARDS

Cannes Lions 2025

CREDITS

Brand: AXA, France.
Client Director: Alice Holzman.
Executive Committee Member: Thomas Boutte.
Brand Director: Sophie Dupuis Latour.
Advertising Manager: Noemie Gayet.
Brand Project Officer: Anne Ferrandin.
Head of Media: Faiza Dries.
Media Project Officer: Hélène Caillet.
Head of PR: Gustavo Coura Guimaraes.
Group Chief Communications: Ulrike Decoene.
Global Brand Director: Virginie Bercot.
Global Advertising Manager: Ida Catuelan.
Global Brand Project Officer: Emma Oumeddour.

Creative Agency: Publicis Conseil, Paris.
Présidente Publicis France: Agathe Bousquet.
Global CCO & CEO Leo, CCO Publicis Groupe France, CEO & CCO Publicis Conseil: Marco Venturelli.
Creative Strategy Lead: Sarah Lemarie.
Executive Creative Director: Pierre Mathonat.
Client Lead France: Claire Viala.
Global Client Lead: Marie Wallet.
Global Strategy Director: Antoine Collignon.
Client Service Director: François Borel.
Account Director: Juliette Llory.
Account Executive: Nadia Ragragui.
Deputy Global Client Lead: Carla Cabalfin.
Global Account Director: Maude Gourrier.
Head of Art: Maud Robaglia.
Copywriter: Francesca Vitello, Arnaud Cherbonnier.
Artistic Director: Laura Aondio, Vincent Tavernier.
Motion Designer: Benjamin Amadei.
Process Manager: Cécile Cuzin, Géraldine Sorhaitz.
Traffic Manager: Julie Nudelman.

Media Agency: Wavemaker, Paris.
CEO Wavemaker France: Julien Boyer.
Business Partner: Jordan Coutault.
Account Director: Elvire Padovani.
Account Manager: Assia Birba.
Account Executive Intern: Juliette Fernandes.
Global Business Lead: Haley Rubin.
Digital Lead: David Hugonnet.
Global Planning Director: Tania Duval.
Global Planning Lead: Laurent Thevenet.
Global Digital Account Manager: Artem Agvsutov.
Account Director Programmatic: Noemie Mendes.
Programmatic Trader: Benjamin Talineau.
Content Director: Chloé Lignier.
Media Trader Radio: Juliette Petit.
Team Lead Audio: Marine Daumont.
Trader Media Multiscreen: Marwan Massad.
Account Manager Multiscreen: Nicolas Bourgeois.
Strategic Planner: Louis Brouard.
Chief Strategic Officer: Sacha Bury.
Account Manager Press: Olivier Durand.
Social Media Paid: Nesrine Hileli.