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In the unglamorous world of insurance marketing, the More Th>n brand has emerged as a front runner when it comes to innovation and creativity. And Pete Markey, the brand’s marketing director, has been at the forefront of this success.

It might come as a surprise to see a marketer linked to the financial services industry winning Marketer to the Year following 12 months in which banks have crumbled and public confidence in the sector has hit an all-time low.

But it is to Markey’s credit that his efforts have risen above the wider chaos that has engulfed the sector.

Under his marketing leadership, the brand delivered double-digit year-on-year sales growth and reduced cost per sale by more than 15%.In a challenging market that has been hit by both the recession and consumers’ increasing use of price-comparison websites, Markey’s strategy increased sales over the phone by more than 18% in 2008.

He also achieved significant cost savings across the business while building the brand into one of the most recognisable and admired in its sector.

Recently promoted to marketing director, the Portsmouth fan is focused on reinforcing the brand’s ‘We Do More’ message by giving customers a one-stop shop that can deal with their enquires in the way they want and the timeframes they expect.
The success of this ethos is no better demonstrated than in More Th>n’s ‘Personal Customer Manager’ (PCM), which has clinched a Marketing Society Award for Excellence in the category of customer relationship marketing.

After talking to its customers to gain insights into how they interact with the business, the brand set out to offer every customer the opportunity to have a named contact within the customer service team, who could deal with their queries.

Each PCM has an allotted line and personal email address, which they can supply to their customer contacts.

The idea behind PCM was to offer service differentiation in a commoditised market, and the launch was the biggest single communication campaign since the brand first launched in 2001.

As a result, retention rates have continued to improve, mid-term cancellations are down and there has been an increase in multiple product holding.

Other innovations that he has overseen include the greener car insurance policy, which gives customers feedback on their driving through a black box installed inside their vehicle.
Markey spent nearly three years as head of marketing at More Th>n, which is the direct arm of RSA, before being handed his new title of marketing director in November last year.

Markey’s previous roles include a three-year stint as head of marketing operations at Onetel, and a short spell as marketing communications manager at The AA. He cut his marketing teeth during six years at British Gas, when he was direct marketing manager, following his graduation from Southampton University. And Markey is still only in his mid thirties.

In an interview with marketing last year, he revealed that he was an obsessive rollercoaster rider, with an annual pass to Chessington World of Adventures. He says his favourite holiday destination is Florida.

When asked to describe himself in three words for Marketing’s Little Black Book, Markey opted for ‘creative, energetic, passionate’-staple ingredients for any successful marketer.

He clinched the Marketer of the Year award after receiving the most nominations from readers of Marketing. He beat off a final shortlist which also featured Katie Vanneck of News International and Troy Warfield of Kimberly-Clark.