Description:

More than insurance: How design helped AMI redefine showing up for New Zealanders

In 2023, AMI saw an opportunity to evolve – from being one of Aotearoa’s most trusted insurers to becoming something even more valuable: a brand that actively helps customers in moments that matter.

Behind the scenes, AMI was already delivering exceptional customer experiences through a network of service brands – including vehicle repair, home repair and roadside assistance. But these services sat in silos, with names and branding disconnected from AMI. Customers didn’t know these positive experiences were powered by the brand they already trusted. That’s where design came in.

We set out to unite our service offerings under a single, customer-facing identity – one that made it clear AMI offers more than insurance. Through a bold, scalable design system, we brought three services to life: AMI MotorHub, AMI HomeHub and AMI Roadside Rescue.

The solution drew on AMI’s most distinctive brand assets – the iconic yellow, the smile line, and the trusted logo – to create a unified but flexible visual language. The design system was applied across vehicle fleets, buildings, uniforms, signage, digital platforms and wayfinding, transforming everything from service vans to customer portals into recognisable, brand-building touchpoints.

The impact was immediate and measurable. The rebrand generated over $30 million in annual media value through visibility alone. Brand consideration jumped from 35% to 85% among people aware of AMI MotorHub. Trust scores leapt from 56% to 88%. Net Promoter Scores for AMI services reached extraordinary highs – 91 for MotorHub and 90.7 for HomeHub – well above industry benchmarks.

Design didn’t just elevate how the services looked; it elevated how they worked. We became the first insurer in Aotearoa to integrate value-adding services directly into our core offering, including free roadside rescue with comprehensive car insurance. All three services were designed as digital-first experiences, with customer portals that replaced paper-heavy, outdated systems. In an industry not known for innovation, this work helped set a new standard.

Beyond the numbers, this was a deeply strategic design transformation. It required cross-functional collaboration across brand, marketing, operations and external partners. It took insight, creativity, and a rigorous design process to bring everything together. The result is a future-fit brand system that clearly differentiates AMI from competitors, drives customer engagement, and unlocks new opportunities to grow.

This project is a powerful example of the value of design – not as decoration, but as a business-critical tool for transformation. Through design, we didn’t just rebrand services – we redefined AMI.