Insurance Marketers Reveal Their Winning Strategies in January 2010 Best's Review

Insurance marketers are using everything from a pink-haired animated character to tools that precisely measure advertising efforts to help them stand out in the industry's competitive marketplace. The stories behind these strategies are revealed in Best's Review's January cover story, "Strength in Numbers."

Crafted from the presentations during A.M. Best's Insurance Marketing and Advertising Summit, the article showcases several of the leading marketers in the industry.

Esurance's Managing Director and Chief Marketing Officer John Swigart reports how the company's advertising icon, Erin, helped propel its brand into national prominence. Part of Erin's success in helping launch Esurance into one of the fastest-growing marketing presences in insurance was timing, Swigart said. "Consumers were ready to shop for auto insurance online at that time and we were one of few available viable options. We also gave consumers something to engage with. Erin helped set us apart from our competitors," Swigart said.

Zurich North America Commercial's well-engineered advertising measurement strategy is being used to develop their brand by looking at what customers want from a commercial carrier. John Parker, the company's chief marketing officer, sees the importance of making sure its customers are as familiar with the brand as brokers are. "The decision to buy is between the customer and the broker. They must understand our message when we're not there," Parker said. Using a tool that measures, monitors and manages relationships across multichannels Parker and his team were able to develop a marketing campaign that includes print advertising, online ads, direct mail, events and sponsorships.

January's Other Highlights

-- Get an all-inclusive briefing on the international reinsurance market in "New Year, New Economic Trends."

-- Agents -- find out what you should be asking during annual client reviews in "Under Control."

-- Some 2,300 bills involving the insurance industry were enacted in 2009, find out how they will play out in your business this year by reading "Stating the Case."

-- An excerpt from A.M. Best's Auditors and Actuaries Special Report, featuring rankings of the top 35 auditors and actuaries.

-- Best's Review is published by the A.M. Best Co., for insurance professionals, including home office executives, agents, brokers and others who are affiliated with the industry, such as bankers, lawyers and educators.

To read these articles and more, subscribe to Best's Review by visiting our Web site at www.bestreview.com, calling the A.M. Best customer service department at (908) 439-2200, ext. 5742, or e-mailing your request to customer_service@ambest.com.

Founded in 1899, A.M. Best Company is a global full-service credit rating organization dedicated to serving the financial and health care service industries, including insurance companies, banks, hospitals and health care system providers. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.