Playing to the Stereotype: Four Insurance Branding Lessons from the New Jersey Governor
April 10, 2012 by Charles Wasilewski · 5 Comments
Take These Four Insurance Branding Lessons Home With You
From modest beginnings in New Jersey, a larger-than-life politician has emerged onto the national stage: Governor Chris Christie. And he’s brought along branding experiences that apply to insurance.
Christie was criticized by opponents as an underqualified political appointee and a legal lightweight when he was nominated by President George W. Bush to the post of U.S. Attorney for the State of New Jersey. During Christie’s tenure from 2002 through 2008, the U.S. Attorney’s office won convictions or pleas of guilty from 130 public officials (state, county and local), both Democratic and Republican — without losing a single case.
What’s Your Marble Floor?
November 9, 2010 by Charles Wasilewski · Leave a Comment
The Driskill Hotel's marble floor features its 'D' logo
Walking in to The Driskill Hotel in Austin for Brand Camp 2010 in October, I admired the high ceilings, the 1880s southwestern architecture and the quick attention from the staff.
And the marble floors.
Like many distinctive hotels, The Driskill spends a lot of money on its floors. They’re marble, distinctly colored, and clean as can be. Placed in the middle of the floor in the center of the hotel’s meeting space is the hotel’s logo (see photo to the right).
The floors and the logo were easy to notice as I was walking from meeting room to lunch and back.
Brand Camp Agenda Features: Do It Now, Value of Brand, Marketing Challenge
October 22, 2010 by Charles Wasilewski · Leave a Comment
Aartrijk Brand Camp 2010 kicks off Monday October 25 at The Driskill Hotel, Austin, Texas.
We invite you to follow Brand Camp updates on LinkedIn, Aartrijk’s Facebook page, Twitter (@Aartrijk) using hashtag #ABC2010, and Aartrijk’s blog.
Monday October 25, 2010
First up are the “Do It Now” sessions at 3:30 pm Central Daylight Time (CDT). Bring your problems, dreams, aspirations (large or small). Brand Campers, Counselors, and outside speakers will help you, on the spot. It’s a chance to create or fix key items for your brand. Then comes the welcome reception. Read more
What I Learned at Brand Camp
October 7, 2009 by admin · 2 Comments
Last week was a great week. I spent three days in Chicago with some of the best people I’ve ever met.
Where was I??? At Brand Camp. What’s that you ask? It was a conference put on by Aartrijk to explore the world of social media and its impact on insurance branding.
Sure, I learned a lot about how social media can be utilized effectively, how to “Tweet” and how important blogging can be. But what really struck me was the energy of the group. The people who attended were really excited about the prospects, willing to learn and energized about their agencies. It’s probably the first time I didn’t get a sense of “quiet desperation” about the future of the independent agent and the power of the direct writers.
- I learned that independent agents have some huge opportunities because their business is based on building and maintaining relationships–a perfect match for social networking.
- I learned that there are some amazing young agents and their staff that have great new ideas to reach “Generation Y,” and that they should be listened to.
- I learned that the agents that adopt this new way of marketing and sales will be the ones to succeed.
- I learned that listening is as important as talking, whether it’s face-to-face or on the Web.
- I learned that being open to new ideas and new ways of doing business is critical to long-term growth.
Yes, we did discuss how to find “fans” on Facebook and “followers” on Twitter. We talked about effective Web site design. We talked about search engine optimization. But they were secondary to the new attitude that was circulating in the room. I wish we could capture that and sell it over the Internet!
– Laurie Donohue, vice president, I-Marketing Management (a partner firm of Aartrijk)
Visit I-Marketing Management: http://www.imarketingmanagement.com.
Follow Aartrijk on Twitter: @Aartrijk. Follow Brand Camp conversation on Twitter using hashtag #ABC09.
You Want Help with Social Media!
October 3, 2009 by Peter van Aartrijk · Leave a Comment
Aartrijk Brand Camp—held in Chicago Sept. 28-30, 2009 and continuing on the virtual calendar of online conversation—was all about the risk and opportunity of social media in our Wonderful World of Insurance.
We had pre-surveyed attendees at Aartrijk Brand Camp. These were agents, brokers, carriers, association executives, media reps, and business partners such as technology firms.
In sum, you have genuine concerns and questions around the impact and application of social media. You are being cautious about stepping into fray.
Here are some top issues you are having with all the excitement behind Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, etc.:
Social media appears to be a time vampire. How do you manage the time you and your people spend with it?
How do you show a return on the effort? One survey respondent said: “While time spent on informing/communicating with fans helps build relationships, does that turn into referrals?” And sales?
We don’t know where or how to start with social media. We need a plan and a budget and somebody in charge—who is that going to be?
The internal battles are brutal. How do we get our management on board? And our legal beagles are putting the kybosh on us branding folks—the IT department isn’t helpful either. One of you said, “The current rule is to run all printed copy past the marketing and legal departments. Social [media] requires a more relaxed, conversational tone to be authentic and trustworthy…[But] it is viewed as more of a risk than an opportunity.”
We’re not sure when we should start! One of you said: “Maybe it’s better not to put a toe in the water until this new frontier matures.”
Who in insurance has gone before us? What are the best practices around building brand awareness with social media? “We need success stories.”
Who is this for? Is social media best for business-to-business? Business-to-consumer? Both? Neither?
Finally, do insurance and financial services play a role at all in social media? Do consumers care about us? We’re not worthy! We’re just not cool enough!
Ah, yes, great questions. Stay tuned for some solutions offered up by Brand Camp attendees.
– Peter van Aartrijk
Follow Aartrijk on Twitter: @Aartrijk. Follow Brand Camp conversation on Twitter using hashtag #ABC09.
Brand Camp. Yeah, Baby!
July 14, 2009 by Maureen Wall Bentley · Leave a Comment
It seems like only last week that the idea for Aartrijk Brand Camp first bubbled up: “Let’s do our own event focused on web and social media—and let’s invite our friends.”
But in no time at all we’ve gone from idea to reality, and we’re now within three months of the big event. The speakers and panelists are lined up, the videos are in production, the sponsors are coming aboard and the registrations are rolling in.
Our opening night party is in a 10-pin bowling alley, and Pete describes the venue—the über-hip Hotel Sax Chicago—as “high tech meets Austin Powers.” So I don’t think this will be like any other insurance meeting I’ve ever been to.
Hope to see you there.
-Maureen Wall Bentley
Brand Camp Won’t Be Yet Another Meeting
June 22, 2009 by Peter van Aartrijk · 1 Comment
Regarding Aartrijk Brand Camp (in Chicago, Sept. 28-30), some of you have asked, “Why is Aartrijk putting on such an event? What do you hope to accomplish?”
Excellent questions. I attend many industry conferences so I’m sensitive about offering another one.
I can assure you that Brand Camp won’t be yet another meeting.
This event is the only one designed to put in context the impact of social media/social networking on marketing and branding in insurance and financial services. So if you are responsible for formulating and articulating your brand in our industry—agency, broker, carrier, trade association, services provider—then you should come to Brand Camp.
At most conferences, speakers present in a one-way format. Like social networking itself, Brand Camp will be much more engaging, where attendees truly will get involved. We hope to imagine—even create—some new ways our industry can communicate with customers and prospects. This engagement is a more fun way to learn anyway.
You will return home with a solid plan to introduce or enhance your brand in this new social networking world. Brand Camp will be educational, engaging, entertaining and rewarding for the group as well as for individual participants.
Go on, jump into the fray! Check out the Brand Camp Web page.
– Peter van Aartrijk
Hotel Sax, Liz Strauss Just Right for Brand Camp
May 22, 2009 by Rick Morgan · 1 Comment
Earlier this week I spent some time at Chicago’s Hotel Sax—site of Aartrijk Brand Camp Sept. 28-30, 2009. If you like those Austin Powers movies, you’ll love this place. Cool, smart feel about the place, a bit of old and new mixed. The décor is almost sinfully fun and funky. Great staff. Wine shop on one side; bowling alley on the other; House of Blues 10 yards away. And what’s not to love about Chicago, people?
Also met with blogger extraordinaire Liz Strauss, one of our guest speakers at Brand Camp. (She has 28,000 followers on Twitter.) I can’t wait for our attendees to hear her ideas and interact with our other speakers and attendees—you are sure to come away with an action plan for your marketing and branding!
- Peter van Aartrijk