Bupa UK has appointed start-up agency Ace of Hearts to handle its marketing and advertising account following a final pitch against The Gate and Joint in a review handled by Ingenuity+.
The agency was launched last year by former McCann CEO Polly McMorrow, and ex-Adam & Eve DDB duo, chief creative officer Richard Brim and chief strategy officer Martin Beverley and aims to “apply creativity to business problems” beyond traditional advertising.
Its client list also includes Wise, Save the Children, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
At Bupa, the agency has reportedly been briefed to ensure the brand reflects the “personal and emotional” reality of health through strategic and creative support, in line with its strategy that places the customer at the core of every decision, process, and interaction to maximise value and loyalty.
The appointment comes as Bupa is on a roll, with its 2024–2025 revenue up 16% to £16.9bn and underlying profit surging by 59% to £914m, driven by high demand for private healthcare, particularly in the UK.
Worldwide total customer numbers exceeded 60 million. In the UK, 3.9 million customers were served, with over 485,000 new users added. The company is now focusing on digital transformation, customer-centricity, and expanding health provision, including new mental health centres and hospital acquisitions.
Bupa previously worked with a number of agencies in the UK, including MullenLowe, which first started working on the account in 2019 and created the “This is health” activity.
Meanwhile, AMV BBDO/Redwood BBDO devised the 2025 “Health Stories” campaign and Momentum Worldwide delivered the “#TeamHealth” work in 2024.
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