My decision to go into the advertising business was partly based on the fact that I enjoy helping clients promote a strong brand message, build authentic relationships with customers and achieve their overall business goals. One brand that I think has done a great job achieving all three of these things is Liberty Mutual. What makes Liberty Mutual such as great brand is that unlike many other large companies, Liberty has taken the time to LISTEN to its employees and customers to find out what is really important to them on a personal level and then LISTENED SOME MORE. All this listening has allowed them to recognize that the Liberty Mutual brand shares a common connection with people: a belief in the importance of personal responsibility.
However, even once this connection was recognized, Steve Sullivan (Senior VP of Communications, Liberty Mutual) and his marketing team needed to create solutions that would address two important questions:
1. How do you really make something like responsibility tangible?
AND
2. How do you connect with people in a way that’s not just another claim from a big insurance company that people are going to disbelieve?
Their solution was the June, 2006 launch of the multi-platform “Responsibility” campaign which was developed by Boston agency Hill Holliday. You’ve probably seen the television spots for the campaign depicting everyday people being confronted with a decision to do the “right” thing or “look the other way.” The campaigns unique strategic approach centers not only the entire campaign but also the entire Liberty Mutual brand around the ownership of a discussion on responsibility. Since the economic recession began we’ve seen a lot of companies jump on the corporate responsibility bandwagon but very few have tried to lay claim on the actual action of responsibility like Liberty Mutual.
Multiple media channels (t.v., print, web, online films), especially interactive microsites whatsyourpolicy.com and more recently responsibilityproject.com, have created awareness, driven people to engage and encouraged active discussions between people around the topic of personal responsibility. These engagement focused sites have allowed Liberty to have meaningful conversations with people 365 days a year and led to further engagement focused endeavors, such as a series of short films and a partnership with NBC to develop two made-for-TV movies that will promote the theme of personal responsibility. Pretty incredible marketing initiatives considering we’re talking about an insurance company.
The positive response and overall success of Liberty Mutual’s multi-platform campaign has accomplished several important things:
1. Delivered an awesome brand message
2. Spurred online conversations between consumers and between consumers and LM
3. Created positive association between the Liberty Mutual brand and the need for greater responsibility in people’s day-to-day lives.
4. Helped Liberty Mutual to be seen as an “industry thought leader” on the topic of personal responsibility
5. Built strong brand equity
6. Increased premium revenue in auto insurance 17.4% to $3.6 billion in last six months
The “Responsibility” campaign has demonstrated that Liberty Mutual is a brand that understands people’s desire to believe in the brands they buy from. We as consumers crave authentic brands, brand messaging and brand experiences. We want brand messaging to align with our own set of positive morals, values and beliefs. Liberty Mutual’s campaign efforts show that they get this and recognize being responsible and doing the right thing as two values it shares with lots of people. They leverage this connection and are able to create authentic relationships. They encourage people to engage in conversation about doing the right thing so that the more we talk about doing the right thing the more likely we are to make good responsible decisions when it comes to things like insurance, family, friends etc. The people that embrace this type of conversation are the people Liberty Mutual wants to do business with because they provide the most value.
Liberty Mutual has become a brand that stands for something real and authentic. Because of this, they have the rare opportunity to deeply embed their brand not only the minds but in the hearts of consumers, and that’s part of what great advertising is all about.
So, when it comes to authentic brand messaging what’s your strategy? Come across any other brands that are creating great authentic brand messaging campaigns?
