Insurance & Financial Service Companies Case Studies
#1: Agency Rebrand Pilot
A super-regional carrier was interested in providing branding support to its independent agencies. As a pilot, we worked with a small Midwestern agency that needed to enhance its brand in order to expand its reach beyond its immediate community. The agency wanted a stronger commercial lines market share and more upscale personal lines accounts, but it did not have the presence to compete effectively in these markets. The agency owners also wanted to position the firm for sale within the next 10 years.
Aartrijk conducted an Image Assessment, in which we evaluated the agency’s brand touch points. The Assessment concluded that the agency needed to make several significant changes, beginning with its brand identity, which was too focused on the agency principal. Aartrijk also encouraged the owners to consolidate their two offices into one, in a more upscale area. We went on to overhaul the agency’s Web positioning, including the development of target-driven content, search-engine optimization, and creating a blog. Aartrijk also developed a marketing-communications strategy and new collateral marketing materials.
The agency experienced a huge positive change in perception from clients, carriers and new prospects when it launched the brand initiative at an annual Open House at the new agency location. This organization now has a sophisticated brand to complement its expanded market focus. The new brand identity and touch points enhanced the agency’s local reputation and tapped into the commercial lines and higher-end personal lines markets the owners were seeking.
The company that sponsored the pilot was impressed with the agency’s progress and is working with Aartrijk to offer branding services to all of its top agents.
#2: Enhancing Credibility & Visibility
A national bank wanted to heighten visibility among, and increase credibility with, independent insurance agents, which are its primary customers.
Aartrijk developed a comprehensive marketing-communications strategy, which included public relations, trade advertising and events. One key effort involved pitching and organizing a one-hour webinar with an insurance industry news publisher for agency principals on evaluating the worth of an agency. Aartrijk designed and created the online presentation while offering support during the session. Follow-up advertising created new prospects seeking more information on evaluating their agency’s worth.
The bank’s collaboration in this webinar increased its credibility and visibility among the publisher’s 50,000 subscribers and 1,000 participants, and there was a significant uptick in calls for more information.
#3: Assessing Brand Value
A super-regional insurance carrier wanted to enhance its brand with independent insurance agents as a means of growing its middle-market and large commercial business.
Aartrijk conducted a comprehensive Brand Audit, in which it evaluated the carrier’s touch points, interviewed its stakeholders and assessed its competitive position in the marketplace. The Audit provided objective feedback about such key elements as brand identity, operations, agent incentives and market opportunities.
The insurer is exploring further the options available for brand enhancement. The research conclusions and Aartrijk’s recommendations gave the company’s leadership a strong foundation for making responsible decisions.
