CHU asks ‘Which side are you on?’ at the 2026 Steadfast Convention
CHU Underwriting Agencies has unveiled a striking new exhibition experience, ‘Which side are you on?’, at the 2026 Steadfast Convention on the Gold Coast, setting a new benchmark for how strata insurance is brought to life in a live environment.
The immersive installation is designed to challenge, engage and inspire brokers and industry partners by making the value of strata insurance immediately tangible.
At the centre of the activation is a dramatic split-scene apartment, divided cleanly in half. One side depicts the consequences of being underinsured: damaged, chaotic and visibly impacted by real-world events such as fire, water damage and structural issues. The other presents the same space protected by CHU: calm, secure and meticulously maintained.
“The visual contrast is immediate and confronting, inviting attendees to reflect on the role of protection in safeguarding strata communities,” said CHU Head of Claims David Gow. “The concept is underpinned by a simple but powerful idea: cover matters. By turning an abstract insurance proposition into a physical, walk-through experience, CHU enables visitors to not just understand risk, but to feel it.”
The booth was designed by Sydney-based experiential agency The Park.
“The idea started with a simple tension between risk and protection,” said The Park Managing Director Erika Morton Allen. “We wanted to make the invisible value of insurance visible. By splitting the space into two distinct realities, people instinctively understand the difference. It becomes personal.”
Designed to stand out in a crowded exhibition environment, the booth deliberately disrupts expectations. The damaged side features authentic, highly detailed elements, including scorched furnishings, burst-pipe simulations and visible structural distress, while the protected side contrasts with a clean, modern, and reassuring aesthetic.
There are 10 QR codes strategically placed next to various types of damage, each linking to a video in which David Gow explains why insuring against that particular risk is crucial.
The activation reflects CHU’s broader strategy to lead the strata insurance market through innovation, expertise and service. It demonstrates the organisation’s focus on strengthening strata communities by helping customers better understand risk, prevention and long-term resilience.
“Our goal was to create an experience that goes beyond a traditional booth,” said David Gow. “We wanted something that would stop people in their tracks, spark conversation and create a deeper level of engagement with our team. This is about showing, not telling, what we stand for.”
Authenticity was crucial when designing the booth, Erika Morton Allen explained.
“The damaged side was not merely implied; it was physically realised through broken structures, distressed finishes and an atmosphere of disruption that felt both authentic and unsettling,” she said. “To enhance this realism, we incorporated real copper piping and resin to simulate a burst pipe, complete with a resin water puddle. We also torched the furniture to convincingly convey fire damage, used real red wine to create accidental staining on the sofa, and applied dirty water to both the sofa and the rug.”
By combining storytelling, design and technical execution, CHU’s latest activation reinforces its position as a pioneer in the industry, delivering a clear and memorable message: in an uncertain world, the right protection makes all the difference.
CHU’s ‘Which side are you on?’ experience will feature at industry events throughout 2026.
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