COLUMBUS, Ga., Aug. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac, a
leading provider of supplemental insurance in the U.S., today
announced its new partnership with football legend and coach Deion
"Prime" Sanders to celebrate the return of college football this
fall. In this integrated campaign, Coach Prime, with help from some
friends, will remind people that Aflac helps close the gaps for
customers with unexpected medical bills that health insurance
doesn't cover, while also supporting a shared commitment to
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
New Talent: Adding Firepower to Coach Saban's
Starpower
In his Aflac debut, Coach Prime stars in three hysterical new
ads alongside two fellow legends, Coach Nick Saban and the Aflac Duck. Throughout the
series, the two coaches humorously talk about how Aflac has paid
billions to policyholders in benefits that help cover the expenses
that health insurance doesn't cover, while Coach Prime, in his
trademark colorful style, wonders how he can get one of those
coveted Aflackets – the distinctive blue Aflac jacket worn by Coach
Saban in Aflac commercials.
The first spot "Ready for Prime Time," will debut
Aug. 28 during the game between
Hawaii and UCLA, airing at 3:30 p.m.
EDT, with the second spot, "What it Takes," airing
Sept. 4, both on ESPN. The third
spot, "Jacket Fitting," premieres later in the year as conference
championship games approach.
"Aflac is rooted in caring for people when they need them most,
whether through their policies and services or the way they tackle
issues that are important to all communities. We share a vision
when it comes to supporting HBCUs and, more broadly, communities of
color," Coach Prime said. "I like to say that I see myself as
standing in the gap between those who need greater support and the
institutions that can provide that support. Aflac helps close gaps
for their customers who have medical bills that their health
insurance doesn't cover, so together, I look forward to working
with Aflac, the Aflac Duck and, of course, Coach Nick Saban as we put the ball in the end zone
and make a real difference in peoples' lives."
A Shared Focus on Football, HBCUs and Communities of
Color
Aflac's partnership with Coach Prime begins this football season
and features fan inspiration, messages about being prepared for the
unexpected, and collaborative efforts to support communities of
color both on and off the field.
Football
Beyond Aflac's consistent donations to
HBCU-focused college football events like the Tuskegee-Morehouse
Football Classic and the annual Fountain City Classic game, Aflac
will also provide a $75,000 donation
to the Jackson State University
Athletic Department for professional development and be a
supporting partner of Deion Sanders'
Football Camp.
HBCUs
Aflac has a 20-plus-year history of financially
supporting HBCUs and their alumni, including a $1 million commitment to Morehouse School of Medicine.
Communities of Color
In February, Aflac announced a
$1.5 billion strategic partnership
with SoundPoint Capital Management, which includes a $500 million commitment to Opportunity Zones,
designed to spur economic development and job creation in
distressed communities. In 2020, Aflac invested $25 million in the Black Economic Development
Fund, whose primary objective is to support Black-led financial
institutions and anchor institutions and business transactions to
strengthen the Black community in rural and urban communities, with
an ultimate goal of helping close the racial wealth gap. In
addition, since 1997, the company has contributed more than
$25 million to minority
organizations, including the NAACP, the Urban League, and
historically Black fraternities and sororities.
"By partnering with Coach Prime, we will shine a bright
spotlight on the rich legacy of HBCU football and the role these
amazing colleges and universities play in the lives of so many
promising students on and off the field," Aflac Chief Brand and
Marketing Officer Shannon Watkins
said. "Coach Prime's commitment to HBCUs aligns perfectly with
Aflac's desire to help close health and wealth gaps for communities
of color. We want to do our part to ensure all communities have
equal opportunities to thrive and succeed."
New Media Partnerships and Integrated Campaign
Anchored in new collaborations with ESPN's "College GameDay"
Built by The Home Depot and HBCU matchups on ESPN networks and an
existing partnership with the SEC, Aflac's integrated campaign,
"The Comeback," will reach fans across television, social media,
and digital channels and through exciting and engaging live,
on-site activations at a variety of games, celebrating the return
to fandom and community. Aflac's decision to highlight HBCUs is a
natural expansion of the company's long-time commitment to
fairness, diversity and inclusion, which are hallmarks of the
company's award-winning corporate responsibility and ESG
programs.
Aflac's integrated campaign includes a variety of touch points
with consumers and benefit decision-makers, including:
- Meeting and greeting a supercharged college football fandom
with an authentic television and tailgate presence at marquee HBCU
matchups, SEC games, and in-show integrations with ESPN's "First
Take" and "The Paul Finebaum Show."
- Influencing lively college football fans online with
light-hearted and humorous social media content.
- Challenging and expanding college football fans' knowledge
through broadcast, social media and in-stadium integrations of
Aflac trivia questions focused on upcoming college football
matchups.
"Football is one of America's treasured pastimes – and brands
have historically showcased a monolithic view of the college
football experience. Aflac is proud to be doubling down on our
long-standing commitment to HBCUs and communities of color
by closing the gap for those who need it most. HBCUs
represent and produce some of the best talent in the world –
hall-of-fame coaches, dynamic athletes, award-winning musicians,
and alumni leading the public and private sectors and at
the highest levels of government. We are excited to welcome and
celebrate fans across the entire football landscape back to the
game on social media, through activations, on ESPN and through our
paid media ads to deliver the message that Aflac cares about all
people and that we always have you covered," Watkins said.
In the coming months, Aflac will continue to engage fans with
sports-centric experiences and integrations during key college
football matchups, including the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge
Kickoff Saturday, Aug. 28, and the
Cricket Celebration Bowl Saturday, Dec.
18. Get to know Aflac at
Aflac.com.
About Aflac Incorporated
Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:
AFL) is a Fortune 500 company helping provide protection to more
than 50 million people through its subsidiaries
in Japan and the U.S., where it is a leading supplemental
insurer, by paying cash fast when policyholders get sick or
injured. For more than six decades, insurance policies of Aflac
Incorporated's subsidiaries have given policyholders the
opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. Aflac Life
Insurance Japan is the leading provider of medical and cancer
insurance in Japan, where it insures 1 in 4 households. For 15
consecutive years, Aflac Incorporated has been recognized
by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most Ethical
Companies. In 2021, Fortune included Aflac Incorporated on its list
of World's Most Admired Companies for the 20th time, and Bloomberg
added Aflac Incorporated to its Gender-Equality Index, which tracks
the financial performance of public companies committed to
supporting gender equality through policy development,
representation and transparency, for the second consecutive year.
To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't
cover, get to know us
at Aflac.com or Aflac.com/Espanol.
Aflac | Aflac New York | WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999.
Media contact: Jon
Sullivan, 706.573.7610 or jsullivan@aflac.com
Analyst and investor contact: David A. Young, 706.596.3264 or
dyoung@aflac.com
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SOURCE Aflac Incorporated