Nationwide Insurance’s ‘Life Comes at You Fast’
advertising campaign proved to be a huge success in promoting its
expansion strategy. Nationwide’s Mike Switzer provided Charles
Davis with insight into the insurer’s marketing strategy and the
thinking behind its newly-launched ‘I Am On Your Side’
ads.
Reflecting a strategic shift toward a more customer-centric value
proposition, US composite insurer Nationwide Insurance has replaced
its hilarious ‘Life Comes at You Fast’ commercials with a series of
testimonial spots with a much more serious tone.
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The new ‘I Am On Your Side’ campaign features gripping
documentary-style narratives by real Nationwide employees, each
relating a tale of extraordinary customer service in their own
words – no slick scripts here, just straight talk, complete with a
bit of stammering at times.
“We wanted to keep this as real as possible, to bring authentic
voices to the campaign in their own words,” Mike Switzer, a
spokesman for Nationwide, told LII. “This was not a campaign driven
by the current economic situation – it has been in the making since
long before that – but instead is a complete strategy shift toward
answering the question, ‘Why Nationwide?’”
For five years, the Columbus, Ohio-based insurer took a wholly
irreverent approach with its hip ‘Life Comes at You Fast’
commercials that gained instant notoriety for their hilarious takes
on the spontaneity of life.
The spots featured stars such as Fabio, MC Hammer, Kevin Federline
and American Idol’s Sanjaya Malakar, each serving as the punch line
to a series of pratfalls.
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By GlobalDataCampaign had run its course
Switzer explained that the ‘Life Comes at You Fast’ spots were
perfect for the times, and more than fulfilled the insurer’s goals
in terms of brand recognition, but, as he put it, “we felt that the
campaign had run its course”.
So, after extensive consumer research, as well as a deep look at
the insurer’s internal communications function, Nationwide decided
that a return to its roots was in order.
“‘Life Comes at You Fast’ put Nationwide on the map,” said Switzer.
“Our research showed us we had accomplished that recognition, and
that now personalised customer service was something people felt
was lacking in the category. Something we could own by bringing ‘On
Your Side’ to life.”
So the company’s marketing team sent word throughout the company
that they were on the lookout for a few great stories about the
customer experience, and from an initial pool of more than 100
responses, narrowed the field to about 20 would-be spokespeople,
from executives to call centre representatives, and began capturing
their stories on film.
“We looked for personalities, but not folks who wanted to ham it
up,” Switzer said. “We were looking for authentic, credible
spokespeople.”
A unique approach
To give the spots that true documentary feel, Nationwide turned to
Academy Award-winning documentary director Errol Morris. Morris
directed The Thin Blue Line, A Brief History of Time, and The Fog
of War. The new campaign, created by Nationwide’s Dallas-based
agency, TM Advertising, is unlike anything produced by a US
financial services company before – and that was the goal.
The TV, radio, online and print ads feature claims adjusters, sales
representatives and others speaking directly to the camera about
personal experiences in dealing with customers. Stories shared by
associates and insurance agents in the campaign range from
providing humanitarian relief following a natural disaster to
simple call centre interactions that make things easier for
customers filing a claim.
In one spot, Nationwide agent Robyn Hahn discusses the insurer’s On
Your Side Review – a side-by-side analysis of a homeowner’s current
coverage and discussion of future insurance needs, and concludes
the process is designed to “bridge that insurance stuff with what
customers need”.
In another, Jackie Walker, a claims representative, says candidly:
“I have clients say to me all the time, ‘All you insurance
companies, all you do is take my money, then when I have an
accident, there’s a problem’.”
Walker continues to discuss Nationwide’s Accident Forgiveness
programme, and when an off-screen voice exclaims, “That’s good!”
Walker doesn’t miss a beat.
“That is good,” she says to the camera, in a winning moment that
transcends product and brings her to life.
Humour has its place in the campaign as well. Terry Medley, a
claims representative, says in his spot that “one of the biggest
kicks I get out of policyholders is that the last thing I tell
them… I shake hands with them and say ‘I hope you never have to see
me again,’ and they bust out laughing and say ‘I don’t
either!’”
“Some are funny, some are really dramatic,” Switzer said. “We went
after the whole range of emotions, but the constant is that
Nationwide is going to transcend the customer experience, one
customer at a time.”
Switzer said the spots are as important for internal communications
as they are for marketing purposes.
“We are in the middle of a company-wide push in terms of customer
service, and these ads created a series of exemplars for the rest
of the company to emulate,” he said.
“We are using these to send a message to the world, sure, but also
to send a message to our employee base about the lengths that some
of our employees go to for their customers. That is a huge
statement as we go forward on this customer-centric
strategy.”
Switzer said the campaign is a long-term play, one dedicated to
capturing the market for personalised service. With some 36,000
employees across the country, Nationwide has to send clear signals
about the direction it is heading, and the employee-driven campaign
does just that.
The campaign also sends a not-so-subtle message about transparency,
Switzer said. No one is scripted, and the employees just talk, in
their own words, about their experiences with customers. It is
clear these employees love what they are doing, and the feeling is
infectious.
“We want to absolutely own the customer service space,” he said.
“This is the first step in a multifaceted strategy aimed at
centring our company on the customer experience, and making that
define what we do. Marketing is a big step in that
process.”
