How to build a brand

marshmallow

Marshmallow

Marshmallow Insurance is a technology-driven insurance company specializing in providing affordable and accessible car insurance, particularly catering to underserved demographics such as immigrants, expats and people with thin credit histories. By leveraging proprietary technology and data analytics, Marshmallow offers personalized policies that traditional insurers often overlook, aiming to create a fairer insurance landscape.

Product/Service

Auro Insurance

Industry

InsurTech

Financing

Venture Backed

Sales

1M PIF

Revenue

$500M

Challenge

Target

Marshmallow targets people who are often overlooked or overcharged by traditional insurers, primarily immigrants, expats and drivers new to the country who may have thin credit files or international driving histories. Their customers are typically navigating major life transitions and need affordable, flexible insurance that understands their unique backgrounds and challenges, rather than penalizing them for being “different.”

The Idea

The core idea behind Marshmallow is to flip the traditional insurance model by celebrating differences instead of penalizing them. Using technology and alternative data, Marshmallow offers fair, accessible car insurance tailored to people who don’t fit the rigid molds of legacy insurers, turning a traditionally exclusive, one-size-fits-all industry into one that’s inclusive, empathetic and empowering.

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Strategy

Product Offerings

Marshmallow Insurance offers a range of car insurance products tailored to non-standard customers, including fully comprehensive coverage, third-party fire and theft coverage and customizable add-ons like breakdown cover and legal protection.

Brand Messaging

Marshmallow’s brand messaging centers on celebrating difference. Their core line “Your difference makes the difference” highlights inclusivity and empowerment. They position themselves as an insurer that values what makes people unique, turning traditional insurance discrimination on its head. The tone is positive, supportive and human, emphasizing fairness, acceptance and individuality.

Visual Identity

Marshmallow’s visual identity is playful, bright and humanized. It features a bold use of pink, paired with simple black typography and adorable character illustrations that personify diversity and individuality. Their brand is instantly recognizable and features their cheerful mascot Marshall, the overall aesthetic feels fresh, approachable and radically different from traditional, stuffy insurance branding.

Social Media

Marshmallow uses a community-driven, education-first social media strategy focused on celebrating diversity, building trust, and making insurance relatable. Their content mixes vibrant, character-led visuals with practical advice and customer testimonials. They heavily lean into cultural inclusivity, user-generated content and light-hearted visuals to create an approachable, human brand presence.

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Marketing

Marshmallow’s marketing strategy revolves around humanizing insurance through community connection, educational empowerment, cultural inclusivity and a distinctive visual identity. They focus heavily on reaching underserved and overlooked audiences by offering useful, relatable content and celebrating diversity. Their branding consistently positions them as empathetic, modern and friendly, very different from traditional, rigid insurance brands.

Their approach blends emotional storytelling, digital-first engagement and organic community building to drive loyalty, referrals and brand awareness.

Social Media

Instagram

6K

TikTok

N/A

Facebook

7.5K

Twitter (X)

1.4K

YouTube

500

LinkedIn

29K

Celebrating Difference and Individuality

At the heart of Marshmallow’s brand is a belief that difference is valuable, not something to be penalized. Their messaging like “Your difference makes the difference” shows that they aren’t just welcoming diversity, they are actively celebrating it. Whether someone moved countries, has a non-standard driving history, or simply doesn’t fit a typical insurance profile, Marshmallow treats them with respect and fairness. Instead of using difference as a risk factor, Marshmallow uses it as a rallying point, creating a deeply emotional bond with its audience.

Bold, Playful Branding

Marshmallow’s highly distinctive visual identity, bright pinks, cartoon characters, and friendly typography isn’t just aesthetic; it’s strategic. They intentionally break away from the stiff, corporate look of typical insurance companies to appear more approachable, fun and modern. Their visuals instantly grab attention and make the brand memorable across crowded digital platforms. This builds emotional approachability, reduces the perceived complexity of insurance and gives Marshmallow a clear point of difference in a historically dull industry.

Community-Centric Storytelling

Marshmallow centers real customer experiences at the heart of their marketing. Whether it’s through testimonial posts, customer shoutouts, or referral incentives, the brand creates a narrative where its users are the heroes. This builds trust and authenticity, making insurance feel more personal and supportive rather than cold and transactional. By giving a platform to their customers’ voices, Marshmallow transforms what’s normally a dry service (car insurance) into a brand people feel proud to be associated with.

Educational Empowerment

Instead of just selling insurance, Marshmallow invests heavily in educating their audience. They publish tips for new drivers, explain insurance jargon and guide newcomers to the UK on important steps like buying a car or understanding public transport. Their goal is to remove the fear and confusion many people face when navigating a new system.

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Website

Marshmallow’s website is designed with a strong focus on accessibility, inclusivity, and simplicity, speaking directly to people who are new to the UK or have non-traditional driving histories. It uses warm, welcoming language and a visually friendly layout to guide visitors through the insurance process without overwhelming them. Key messages like “Your difference makes the difference” and “Built with you in mind” are reinforced throughout the site, making it clear that Marshmallow specializes in supporting customers who are often underserved by traditional insurers.

The visual identity of the site is clean yet playful, dominated by soft backgrounds, pops of pink, rounded typography, and approachable character illustrations. Marshmallow’s website not only sells car insurance, it positions the brand as a helpful companion for people navigating big life changes, particularly moving to a new country.

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Brand Profile GPT

The Brand Profile Creator is a public GPT i created that lets you generate brand summaries in the same format I use in my How to Build a Brand series. Simply input a Brand Name and you’ll get a professional, well-structured summary that consistently returns the required data.