Max the Stress Ball is back—and this time, he’s not just stressed, he’s downright furious. In a laugh-out-loud new campaign from Income Insurance and BBH Singapore, the iconic stress ball character returns to find his services no longer needed, thanks to the insurer’s reliable savings plans. Max’s comedic meltdown offers a refreshing twist on financial advertising, blending humor with a serious message about financial peace of mind.
The campaign, which reintroduces Max following his popular debut in 2023, centers around his chaotic reactions to Income’s capital-guaranteed offerings like Gro Cash Plus and Gro Cash Sure. With these products offering stable returns and a clear roadmap to long-term savings, Max—the personification of stress—is essentially being made redundant. And he’s not taking it well. From throwing tantrums in office cubicles to launching rants on social media, Max’s antics deliver big laughs while spotlighting how Income’s savings solutions take the pressure off.
Aimed at middle-aged Singaporeans who are often juggling family responsibilities, career goals, and future planning, the campaign hits a relatable nerve. It cleverly conveys how Income Insurance can help turn down the mental noise caused by financial uncertainty. Instead of using fear or jargon, the brand opts for a comedic character that makes the topic of insurance approachable, even entertaining.
The campaign spans TV, digital platforms, and social media, making Max a multi-channel star. Short-form videos, memes, and interactive content bring Max’s over-the-top frustration to life, helping Income reach a wider audience and inject humor into the financial space. His exaggerated breakdowns are as shareable as they are memorable, making financial planning a water-cooler topic for all the right reasons.
Dhiren Amin, Chief Customer Officer at Income Insurance, notes that Max struck a powerful chord with audiences in the previous campaign. His return, this time even more unhinged, is a way to remind people that smart savings choices can remove a lot of the anxiety from their financial lives. BBH Singapore’s creative team adds that Max’s emotional outbursts mirror what stress “would” look like if it had to deal with people no longer needing it.
By turning stress into a cartoonish character and giving it a voice, Income and BBH have created a campaign that is both insightful and entertaining. It doesn’t just promote a product—it challenges the idea that financial planning has to be boring, stressful, or confusing. With Gro Cash Plus and Gro Cash Sure, consumers are promised not only capital-guaranteed returns but a chance to silence their inner Max once and for all.
