Making AutoSergei real with Meer-tech
Merkle
Client: Compare the Market
In a competitive market of annoying operatic singers, robots called Brian, and men dancing in suit jackets and high heels, the Meerkats played a critical role in CtM’s rapid growth in the Price Comparison market. But in an evolving world, where research shows ‘comparing’ is too much effort for a third of us, people increasingly seek brands that engage them in ways that feel effortless, relevant and genuinely helpful. Audiences now expect personalised, real‑time support - and they flock to services that make life feel, well… simples! This shift shook Compare the Market to the core. We weren’t in a brand fight anymore - we were in a fight for meaningful, ongoing audience engagement, and we needed to evolve fast. In 9 months, we transformed a brand‑led business into an experience‑ and engagement‑led one - changing how the nation interacted with price comparison and rewriting the category rules yet again. How? Launched in 2019 to Steve Jobs‑style fanfare, we turned a templated follow‑up mechanic into something that far exceeded the TV hype. Through data, technology and audience‑first design, we used AI and automation to supercharge AutoSergei - turning him into a living, breathing, personalised omni‑service that people could genuinely connect with. He delivered 25 million personalised quote journeys, engaging customers with timely, relevant support – and dramatically increasing CRM’s overall revenue contribution by strengthening the relationship between audience and brand.