One of those clients

As promised!

When you think insurance, what's your first reaction? Yes, me too, and everyone else. It's a necessary product/service, but one of those things that just "is." Generally, it's not very pleasant, it's expensive and you're only really glad you have it when you have a problem. Then there is the whole "insurance people" phenomenon. Not to stereotype, but we all KNOW the stereotype; stuffy, mathematical types with little personality who are all numbers and "like a good neighbor" don't say much. Marketing and advertising messages insurance companies put forth are usually boring, droll and as formulaic as the rest of their business. There are a few notable exceptions, but only a few and even some of those are pretty bad.

Imagine our delight, as "hired guns" to brand a new division of a MAJOR insurance giant a few years ago. No, really. These folks get it. From day one they told us, "We're not "them." We're faster, leaner, focused and we will approach this differently with better people and technology." They meant it, and they want to be sure they express it, well. We have helped them continually evolve and imbue their brand strategy into their organization, their initial audience (independent agents--distribution channel) and now through to their insureds. This company understands that their approach was right on two years ago and now while the approach is honed and sound, it must be expanded and modified to prepare for the future and to tweak those things they recognize are communication based, internally and externally.

We are currently neck deep in a major project which has proven insightful for the client, empowering for creativity and jaw-dropping fun for us as their CEO says, "there are NO sacred cows, if we need to change it, let's change it; even down to the names of functional groups and process that are so standard in the industry...we ARE NOT THEM. We will continue to prove it."

We've watched and participated in exceptional success over the past three years. I'm betting it gets better and better with their vision, leadership and such a commitment to their market and their communications.

Why we love our clients

All of us "love" our clients, right? Yes, that's somewhat tongue in cheek, but not completely. In the past couple of years, I've had the extreme pleasure of working with a few clients that are completely willing and able to objectively look at their business, their industry (ies) and their model; open to reengineering the way not only they approach their market, but also the way they think. Why is that a pleasure? Because once you realize "we've always done it that way" may or MAY NOT be the right way to do it, at that point, rolling up sleeves and getting in the weeds AND 30K feet up with our clients is fun, productive and incredibly creative. "WOW, that's really smart and cool!" along with great results makes everyone happy.

Our clients that truly allow us to get into their business with them and have allowed creativity to be a part of their culture have done incredibly well. Those that truly understand "brand," what it means to their business and their customers and truly impart the soul of their brand into their communications are wonderfully positioned as we move forward in this new economy and new consumerism.

Over the coming weeks, I would like to share some AMAZING stories of success in imbuing a brand throughout an organization and the impact it makes when it's real, championed and truly integrated where the brand is the business and the business is the brand. We love our clients.