Generali Central Insurance (GCI) and Generali Central Life Insurance (GCLI) earlier this year unveiled their first joint brand campaign, Here Now, marking a milestone following the company’s rebranding after Central Bank of India joined the Generali Group as a joint venture partner earlier this year.
Here Now reflects the brand’s commitment to being a “Lifetime Partner,” standing with customers as they embark on new journeys with innovative insurance solutions backed by Generali’s global expertise and the trusted presence of Central Bank of India.
Anchored in the belief that the future is created in the present, the campaign celebrates everyday acts of courage and transformation—from a family moving into their first home, a woman achieving personal fitness goals, a father teaching his son to drive, to an entrepreneur reigniting a dream.
Medianews4u,.com caught up with Ruchika Malhan Varma, Chief Marketing, Customer & Impact Officer, Generali Central Insurance
Q. How does the refreshed brand identity reflect the company’s commitment to protection, reliability, and digital innovation across its customer touchpoints?
Two powerful legacies—the 194-year-old Generali Group and the century-old Central Bank of India—have come together to emerge as Generali Central Insurance. The refreshed brand identity symbolises this union.
It also reflects Generali’s global expertise and the Central Bank of India’s deep-rooted trust. This partnership also brings the advantage of being able to access the vast distribution network of Central Bank of India, which has over 4700 branches across the country.
Together, they embody a single, powerful promise: to protect what matters most—people, their health, their dreams, and their future.
By aligning with the Generali Group’s ‘Lifetime Partner’ philosophy, we’ve infused our identity with a forward-looking spirit that leverages digital innovation and expanded reach to make insurance simpler, smarter, and more personal.
Q. Could you talk about the brainstorming with the creative agency that led to the first brand campaign Here Now? Who is the TG and key markets being targetted?
We sat down with our creative agency, VML India, with a shared vision—to tell a story of new beginnings that feels real, relevant, and deeply rooted in the India of today. The brief was simple: bring Generali’s global promise of being a Lifetime Partner to life in a way that connects emotionally with people and creates a sense of urgency that the right time to act, to protect, to dream, is now. That’s how ‘Here Now’ was born.
The campaign celebrates everyday acts of courage and transformation, with authentic local storytelling. Such as a family moving into their first home, a woman setting new benchmarks in her health journey, a father teaching his son to drive, and an entrepreneur reigniting a dream.
Our core audience comprises digitally engaged, family-oriented individuals across metros and emerging markets who value protection but are equally driven by progress.
Q. Could you talk about the various legs of the campaign? What is the media mix between traditional and digital avenues?
Today’s interconnected world calls for an integrated approach, which is why the Here Now was conceptualised as a multi-touchpoint, integrated campaign. It spans traditional as well as digital media.
While TV and print drive scale and awareness, digital channels like YouTube, Meta, and Google Display enable precision targeting and interactivity. Further, we’ve also partnered with mobility platforms such as Uber, Mumbai Metro, and Swiggy. Here Now connects with audiences on the move, present across every touchpoint where India watches, scrolls, travels, or eats.
Q. This is the first joint campaign post-rebranding — how does it mark a new chapter for Generali Central Insurance?
This campaign marks a defining moment in our brand journey. This association reflects the strength of two institutions that are coming together:
Generali, with its 194-year-old global heritage, and Central Bank of India, with its century-old, deep-rooted trust and reach. The two have joined forces to create an insurer that’s both globally experienced and locally grounded.
Q. What is the core idea behind the “Here Now” campaign, and what message does it aim to convey to consumers?
The core idea of the campaign is to highlight the importance of timely financial protection, especially in the current scenario when India’s insurance penetration (life and non-life put together) continues to be low, hovering at below four per cent of GDP.
Here Now campaign aims to inspire people to take charge of their future today, reminding them that tomorrow’s security depends on the choices they make in the present. Additionally, it also is a reassurance to our customers that Generali Central Insurance remains committed to the promise of Lifetime Partnership.
Q. What makes this campaign stand out from previous insurance campaigns in the market?
Generali Central Insurance has always taken a unique, innovative approach to storytelling— one that blends emotion with purpose. The Here Now campaign stands out because it shifts the focus from traditional fear-based messaging in insurance to empowerment and optimism.
Rather than talking about uncertainty, it celebrates everyday courage and the power of acting today to shape a better tomorrow. The campaign brings Generali’s global ‘Lifetime Partner’ philosophy to life through authentic Indian stories, using fresh relatable moments.
Q. With consumer attention spans rapidly declining what tactics will the company adopt to ensure that the marketing message lands?
Our focus is on delivering messages that are quick to grasp yet emotionally resonant. The Here Now campaign has been rolled out across digital platforms, and customer engagement channels, using data-led targeting to deliver hyper-personalised, relatable content.
For younger audiences, we’re leveraging digital storytelling and relatable content to make it engaging. To connect meaningfully with them, we have rolled out the campaign in nine languages, ensuring that our message resonates across India’s diverse market.
Q. Is the main goal of marketing about building awareness about insurance? Also is the line between performance marketing and brand building blurring?
Building awareness about insurance is and will always remain an important larger goal for us at Generali Central Insurance. However, our marketing vision goes beyond that. Having embarked on a transformative journey with a JV with Central Bank of India, we are now driving two key strategic communication initiatives.
First, to announce our partnership with the Central Bank of India, and second, to reinforce Generali’s global promise of being a Lifetime Partner to our customers.
Today, the line between performance marketing and brand building is increasingly blurring. The most effective marketing is integrated, where brand storytelling and performance outcomes coexist across the same platforms.
Q. Did marketing in the BFSI segment become more innovative and creative in 2025 as opposed to previous year when communication was a more formal tone?
Yes. And this evolution will only accelerate in this digital age. In 2025, marketing in the BFSI segment has become far more innovative, creative, and emotionally engaging than before. Today, it’s no longer just about products and services; it’s about building communities, telling authentic stories, and creating meaningful experiences.
Innovation now goes beyond technology — it’s about strengthening trust and forging genuine human connections with every stakeholder. You can see this change in our approach at Generali Central Insurance, where we use insight mining to seek a deeper understanding of consumers.
Q. Has the role of the CMO today expanded to include driving business results through marketing innovations?
Yes, the modern CMO is a growth architect. The role of the CMO today goes far beyond brand building—it’s about driving measurable business impact through marketing innovation. CMOs now sit at the intersection of data, technology, and creativity, using insights to shape strategy, enhance customer experience, and fuel growth.
At Generali Central Insurance, for instance, the CMO leads the marketing department in making it a business enabler, be it through innovative products, leveraging technology, crafting campaigns and offering superior customer experience.
Q. While hyper personalisation is important is too much use of it an issue in BFSI?
Hyper-personalisation has become a powerful tool in the BFSI sector. It has helped us create more relevant and engaging experiences for customers. By leveraging data analytics and AI, we can tailor products and communication to individual needs, improving affordability, accessibility, and customer satisfaction.
All of this is vital to deepening insurance penetration in India. However, too much personalisation can feel intrusive if not handled responsibly. The key is to focus on balancing data-driven intelligence with empathy.
For instance, we gave the option of creating AI-driven customised digital ads featuring celebrities like Aparshakti Khurana and Masaba Gupta to agents. They could personalise the ads with their information, and connect with customers by addressing them directly.
Q. Is AI now playing a role across the funnel? Which aspect of the funnel does the JV focus on the most and why?
At Generali Central Insurance, we see AI not just as a tool—but as a strategic enabler of customer-centricity. AI is now playing a transformative role across the entire marketing and customer journey funnel at GCI, right from awareness to engagement, conversion, and retention.
At the top of the funnel, Generative AI and machine learning tools help customers identify suitable coverage based on their lifestyle and financial profiles, with our Need Analysis Tools. We’ve also introduced an AI-powered Travel Journey that offers curated insights and recommendations, helping customers discover relevant products in context.
At the engagement and conversion stages, our revolutionary AI-powered whatsapp chatbot LEO assists customers with queries, policy downloads, claims, and renewals. Towards the bottom of the funnel, AI-generated renewal videos create personalised reminders that have significantly improved engagement and renewal rates. We are also using AI in driving communication and distribution.
Q. Could you shed light on the company’s social media strategy to participate in the consumer conversation?
Generali Central Insurance follows an always-on social media strategy designed to foster continuous engagement and authentic conversation with its audiences. The aim is to stay top-of-mind, relevant, and build trust.
We leverage various platforms, from Facebook, which helps us reach a wider audience and foster community to Instagram, which connects us with younger, aspirational consumers through visual storytelling. We showcase brand films and products on YouTube, and build thought leadership and employee engagement on LinkedIn.
Overall, our strategy has enabled us to successfully approach the younger, digital savvy demographic online, where they are most comfortable.
