On 11 March, US insurer Aflac activated its first season as an official corporate partner of the NCAA by launching a multi-platform, comic campaign to leverage the start of March Madness.
Rolling out days ahead of the 14 March start of the NCAA Men’s Division I ‘Selection Sunday’ on official broadcaster CBS and Turner Sports, the activation is anchored by the brand-backed ‘Post-Pain Show’: a faux sports news program featuring game commentary and analysis from actor Rob Riggle, comedian Lil Rel Howery and the Aflac brand duck.
As well as the humorous hot takes, game replays and interviews, the trio will also remind viewers that Aflac is here to ‘help with expenses health insurance doesn’t cover’.
The idea is to provide insurer branded support to people whose team/teams lose and whose brackets are busted during March Madness.
During Selection Sunday, Aflac will launch the first of two spots from the “Post-Pain Show” – ‘Brace Yourself’ and ‘half Court Hurt’ on CBS and the ads will then go into regular rotation during the Tournament.
The campaign, created by lead agency DDB New York with and agency partner CAA Brand Consulting, also spans digital and social platforms including posts offering real-time reactions and pain recovery support to fans who suffer March Madness losses.
The media plan will also see Aflac place digital banners on partner websites featuring ‘announcerisms’ and ‘basketball one-liners’ in the Post-Pain Show format.
The content will run through the tournament and the creative focuses on health and medical insurance and seek to drive viewers online to Aflac.com.
“People know Aflac, but they don’t always know how we can help protect them and their families,” commented Aflac VP Brand Strategy Valencia Mitchell. “We want consumers to know that Aflac feels their pain and is there to help with ‘the pain after the pain’ ̶̶ the expenses health insurance doesn’t cover ̶ as well as provide a little laughter, which can be good medicine.”
“As the official health insurance partner of all NCAA championships, we have a game plan to build on this synergy, develop strong and lasting relationships with this key audience, and show them why Aflac insurance products and services can help with unplanned out-of-pocket costs. We have a game plan to build on this synergy, develop strong and lasting relationships with this key audience.”
“College basketball fans are engaged and ready to enjoy March Madness,” said Ellen Lucey, NCAA director of championships engagement. “Aflac will provide another way for fans to engage with the tournament and enjoy the excitement in a new way.”
Comment:
It was back in January that Aflac penned a three-year partnership as an official corporate partner of the NCAA: a deal which saw the brand become the official health insurance partner of all NCAA championships.
The NCAA March Madness has a broad reach and massive, loyal fan bases (including member colleges and universities) and the objective is to leverage the excitement around March Madness and use it as a platform for Aflac to connect directly with consumers and forge a deeper connection.
The strategy is to focus on connecting with fans where they are through television, digital, social media, public relations and experiential marketing and the multi-touchpoint approach includes tactics to foster engagement with its thousands of employees, independent sales agents and the broker community.
Aflac joins a strong roster of NCAA corporate partners including AT&T, Capital One, Coca-Cola, Buffalo Wild Wings, Buick, Geico, Great Clips, Invesco. Lowe’s, Marriott, Nabisco, Nissan, Pizza Hut, Reese’s, Uber Eats, Unilever and Wendy’s.
Aflac, a US provider of supplemental insurance and products, has been referencing sport in its recent marketing mix and has featured several recent campaigns fronted by Alabama head football coach Nick Saban (alongside the duck of course) including 2020’s ‘Go Time’, ‘The Visit’ and ‘Film Room’.
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