Listen to Helen Stevens on Brand Intelligence
In a market crowded with acronyms and parity messaging, GMHBA needed to stand out without straying from its values. In this episode, Helen Stevens, Chief Marketing Officer at GMHBA, joins William Tyree to reveal how the team reimagined a 90-year-old brand to compete with national players — and win.
Helen discusses how the campaign “Caring Since 1934” turned a local origin story into a modern brand advantage, using authenticity and craft to cut through a cluttered category. She also shares how creative storytelling and disciplined measurement worked hand-in-hand to deliver major gains in recall, consideration, and customer connection.
This conversation explores the intersection of brand strategy, creative execution, and marketing effectiveness — and why genuine purpose still sets brands apart.
Learn more about GMHBA at http://gmhba.com.au/.
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Episode Transcript
William Tyree:
Welcome to the Brand Intelligence Podcast — a show where we pull back the curtain on some of the world’s smartest brands. I’m your co-host, William Tyree, and today we’re continuing our series with marketing leaders behind award-winning campaigns. Joining me is Helen Stevens, Chief Marketing Officer at GMHBA. Helen, welcome to Brand Intelligence.
Helen Stevens:
Thanks so much for having me, William. Great to be here.
William:
We like to start every episode with a bit of fun — if you were walking out to give a keynote, what would your walkout song be, and why?
Helen:
That’s probably the hardest question you’ll ask me today! I’ve chosen Working Class Man by Jimmy Barnes — another Australian icon. It’s one of those songs that no matter where you are, if it comes on, everyone joins in. But it also represents who GMHBA is at its core.
William:
How so?
Helen:
Because GMHBA’s roots are in a very working-class setting. Back in 1934, a group of cement workers came together and pooled their money to look after each other if they got sick or injured. That’s how the organization began — built on mateship and care. From there, it evolved into the GMHBA we know today.
William:
That’s such a great story. And for listeners outside Australia — who may not be as familiar — can you tell us a little about the company and what makes it unique?
Helen:
Sure. GMHBA is a not-for-profit health insurer based in Geelong, and we’ve been around for 90 years. We’re well known in Geelong, starting to build momentum in Melbourne, and now working to grow awareness nationally. What’s unique is that we’re not driven by shareholders — we’re driven by our members. Every decision is made in their best interest, which lets us return value in ways bigger, publicly listed funds often can’t.
William:
Your recent campaign — “Caring Since 1934” — really leaned into that origin story. What was the thinking behind connecting such deep heritage with today’s audience?
Helen:
It’s one thing to have a great origin story, but it’s another to make it meaningful and relevant now. If we just said, “We’re from Geelong,” that doesn’t resonate with someone in Sydney or Brisbane. So instead, we leaned into the values that founded GMHBA — care, community, and looking out for one another — and showed how those same values still drive us today.
When we looked at the health insurance category, we realized how cluttered and same-sounding it had become. Everyone was talking about empowerment and wellness. As a smaller fund with limited media spend, we knew we couldn’t win by outspending. We had to stand apart by being authentic — showing real care and real longevity that no other brand could claim.
William:
That’s such a smart way to approach differentiation.
Helen:
Exactly. We focused on what was distinctive about GMHBA — the authenticity of our member relationships, the fact that we treat people like locals, and a reliability that comes only from being around this long. Those were the foundations for “Caring Since 1934” — proving that heritage and heart can still be powerful in a modern brand story.
