Creating emotional connection and trust through everyday storytelling | 1st for Women Case Study
the challenge
1st for Women, a leading South African insurer renowned for empowering women, wanted to drive awareness and lead generation for its Pet Insurance product - a niche category within the competitive insurance market.
While the brand already had strong emotional equity and credibility in the “for women, by women” space, it needed to ensure that its Pet Insurance offering:
- Reached the right female audiences through authentic, relatable voices
- Drove conversation and emotional resonance rather than just awareness
- Educated potential customers on the importance of protecting their pets as family
The key challenge was to shift perception from Pet Insurance as a luxury to a necessity — without resorting to hard-sell tactics or conventional advertising.
our solution
theSalt activated its peer-to-peer influencer marketing network, leveraging authentic creators who could speak from experience and share genuine stories about the bond between women and their pets.
Through a carefully curated selection of everyday female creators, the campaign:
- Highlighted the emotional and practical value of Pet Insurance Showcased real-life stories that demonstrated trust, care, and protection
- Used organic storytelling to inspire empathy and spark curiosity
- Prioritised authentic content that reflected diverse South African audiences
The campaign moved beyond traditional metrics to focus on human connection - tapping into shared values, emotional triggers, and relatable experiences.
methodology
- Target definition: Creators were selected from theSalt’s verified community of South African influencers, with filters applied for age, gender, pet ownership, and engagement authenticity.
- Content design: Creators were briefed to produce organic, platform-appropriate content (mainly Instagram Reels, Stories, and Posts) that illustrated genuine care for their pets and how Pet Insurance offers peace of mind.
- Engagement approach: theSalt monitored audience sentiment, engagement levels, and comment quality across each creator’s content to measure both quantitative and qualitative impact.
the posts
results
- Organic reach and engagement: Generated strong engagement through heartfelt, everyday content that resonated with audiences and sparked genuine discussion.
- Positive sentiment: The campaign achieved overwhelmingly positive sentiment, with followers expressing both appreciation and curiosity about Pet Insurance options.
- Authenticity and trust: Audiences viewed the content as credible, relatable, and non-intrusive, reinforcing First for Women’s position as a brand that truly understands women’s needs and values.
- Community connection: Influencer content extended beyond marketing — it built trust-based conversations and emotional affinity with the brand, achieving high recall and brand favourability.
strategic insights
By merging emotional storytelling with data-backed influencer selection, theSalt enabled First for Women to position its Pet Insurance product as both relevant and aspirational.
This campaign demonstrated that:
- Authentic creators outperform traditional ads in driving meaningful awareness
- Positive sentiment and relatability are key to purchase consideration
- Storytelling rooted in empathy converts awareness into trust
Outcome: The collaboration established a strong emotional link between the brand and its audience - transforming Pet Insurance from a product into a shared value.
