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Insurance Marketing
Building on Brand

Insurance is becoming a dominant brand category among U.S. consumers, and MassMutual is celebrating NHL players’ special moments in a multimedia ad campaign.
  • Lori Chordas
  • February 2020
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On the Move

Insurance is moving up the ranks as a dominant brand category by American consumers. While technology continues to top Kantar's BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable U.S. Brands list, its stronghold is beginning to wane, making way for other categories like insurance to catch up with rapid annual growth.

This year insurance brands grew the fastest in value of any category, with a 92% rise in collective brand value growth, according to BrandZ, a global brand equity platform covering more than 165,000 brands across over 50 markets. Part of that growth is attributed to the addition of two new entrants to the list, UnitedHealthcare and Aetna. UnitedHealthcare debuted at No. 53 on BrandZ's 2020 customer-centric brand valuation ranking, making it the most valuable insurance brand with a brand value of $14.2 billion.

Aetna debuted at #91 on the list, with a brand value of $7.1 billion. Three other insurance brands were also included in this year's top 100 U.S. list, including State Farm (#62), Geico (#80) and Progressive (#88).

BrandZ's brand valuation ranking measures the contribution of a brand that's validated to in market sales. Brand value is determined by multiplying a brand's financial value, or the amount of corporate earnings attributed to a particular brand, by the percentage of a brand's financial value.

This year insurance's brand value topped $47.8 billion, and the category captured 1.3% of the overall categories' total value, according to BrandZ.


First Goals

MASSMUTUAL is shining a spotlight on National Hockey League players' first NHL goals along with the emotional response of those who helped the players fulfill those goals in a 30-second ad running across TV, digital and social media channels.

The spot, “First Goals,” is a narrative continuation of MassMutual's “Greater Than One” campaign that highlights the importance of partnership and community.

“Interdependency and relying on others is a key brand tenet for us, and it was important for us to connect this shared value in the campaign,” said Jennifer Halloran, MassMutual's head of marketing and brand.

“First Goals,” which is currently running on NBC, NBC Sports, the NHL Network, and NHL and MassMutual digital and social media channels, debuted during the 2019 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. MassMutual was the sponsor of last year's NHL float, which featured two league alumni Ed Olczyk and Dominic Moore along with a musical performance by The Black Eyed Peas. Also riding on the float were children of all ages who tested their slap shot skills against a giant turkey goalie and honorees of last year's Most Valuable Hockey Mom contest sponsored by MassMutual and the NHL.

For 20 years, MassMutual has been the NHL administrator for its 401(k) and defined benefit plans. Last year, MassMutual was named the league's official life insurance and retirement planning partner. From the start of the partnership, “we saw that we have a set of core values that parallels those of the NHL, like teamwork, collaboration and community, and when we highlight these we can authentically link 'Live Mutual' within the sport of hockey,” Halloran said.


Lori Chordas is a senior associate editor. She can be reached at lori.chordas@ambest.com.



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