GRAMMYs sponsor Aflac activated around the event via an integrated, multi-platform campaign that ranged from bringing its familiar duck brand mascot to the red carpet, ‘speeding up’ ad breaks during E!’s red carpet pre-awards ceremony show and launching a GRAMMYs radio station on Pandora.
Indeed, its GRAMMYs campaign is its biggest and most integrated marketing effort to date and is built around a new Aflac benefit called One Day Pay – which allows the company to receive, process, approve and disburse payment to policy-holders for eligible claims within just one business day.
Thus the campaign places an emphasis on ‘speed’ and ‘efficiency’ in a tangible way around viewing live events.
According to CEO Dan Amos: ‘It’s our way of saying that no matter what gets in your way, trips you up or slows you down, getting claims processed and paid won’t be one of them.’
In addition to running its (admittedly ill-fitting’ current ‘Eureka One Day Pay’ commercial during the CBS GRAMMYs telecast,
the official GRAMMYs partner is also offering uninterrupted listening on (the first official) GRAMMY Station – presented by Aflac on Pandora.
The brand also enabled viewers to skip entire commercial breaks during the E! Live from the Red Carpet pre-show – meaning they were able to watch the programme uninterrupted – a tactic that the brand is also applying to other property/event coverage as well.
The role of the Aflac Duck on thee red carpet at this year’s GRAMMY Awards is to use the pop up icon to amplify the viewer benefits the brand is bringing to the experience (and to inject a little humour into the event).
The mascot’s red carpet appearance was matched with live tweeting on in-show gimmicks such as GRAMMYs trivia,
Do you love the #GRAMMYs & some healthy competition? Play #DuckTrivia during the show to show off your musical expertise!
— Aflac Duck (@aflacduck) February 9, 2015
and to provide a touch of comedy.
It's time for me to waddle off the #GRAMMYsRedCarpet. Guess I was ahead of the white fashion trend! #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/iDBN7bE0AM
— Aflac Duck (@aflacduck) February 9, 2015
Comment
The key messages are typically all about speed and simplicity.
According to Aflac chief marketing officer Mark Zuna the strategy behind its GRAMMYs and Daytona deals is to ‘disrupt with a variety of high-profile programs and platforms that focus on speed – getting viewers back to the content they want faster, without the wait’.
By simplifying the claims-submission process for policy holders with its SmartClaim online submission system, the insurer’s GRAMMYs (and other big event) messaging supports its product and services mantra.
We are struggling to see any real synergies between the brand and the property. Surely the simple idea of ‘disruption isn’t enough alone to merit siuch as maajor event partnership?
It seems an unusual partnership – one which there is little overt synergy between sponsor brand and property, but Aflac is beginning to gain a reputation for keeping consumers on their toes about which direction the disability-insurance brand’s marketing will go next.
One can’t imagine what it will do for its next act activating its Daytona 500 NASCAR rights at the big race.
Other rights include space on the GRAMMY’S website which is used to drive users straight to the central Aflac website.
Links
Aflac Website
Aflac YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/user/aflac
Aflac One Day Pay
www.aflac.com/individuals/onedaypay/default.aspx
Grammys Website
Grammys YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGRAMMYs
GRAMMYs Twitter:
https://twitter.com/TheGRAMMYs
GRAMMYs Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TheGRAMMYs
GRAMMYs Tumblr:
