Nationwide® extends its humorous Life Comes At You Fast® campaign
New advertising targets South Asians in the U.S.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 28, 2006
Media Contacts:
Dan Orzano
614-677-5115
orzanod@nationwide.com
Jeff Botti
614-249-6339
bottij@nationwide.com
Columbus, Ohio — As part of its plan to target South Asians in the United States, Nationwide and A Partnership Inc. created new work based on the humorous Life Comes At You Fast brand campaign. The advertising, which launches this month, is Nationwide’s first effort created specifically for this market.
“Connecting with the rapidly growing South Asian population is very important to us,” said Tariq Khan, vice president of market development and diversity for Nationwide Financial Network, an affiliated retail distribution business of Nationwide Financial Services, Inc. (NYSE: NFS). “We wanted to create work that reflects scenarios and traditions that are relevant to them. This campaign is an example of our growing support of diverse markets.”
Five TV spots will appear on prominent South Asian networks, and a print campaign will run in major newspapers. There will also be online, in-theater and other out-of-home executions. The campaign will be national with a focus in key South Asian markets.
Additionally, Nationwide is sponsoring several South Asian events,
including the India Independence Day Parade, Pakistan Parade and Diwali
celebrations in November.
TV spots reinforce Nationwide’s brand messaging
In “Reflection,” the first TV spot to air, a young man is seen admiring his good looks in the bathroom mirror. After one last satisfied look, he opens his medicine cabinet to grab a hairbrush. When he closes the door, the reflection is no longer a handsome, 20-year-old, but an overweight, balding 55-year-old. As the baffled man continues to stare at his older reflection, the voiceover states, “Life comes at you fast. Plan your retirement with Nationwide.”
In another spot, “Doll,” a father, holding a toy stethoscope, asks his toddler son if he’d like to be a doctor. The son, sitting on a couch surrounded by dolls, shakes his head no. Next, the father uses a toy plane to see if his son would rather be a pilot. But when the father looks up, he sees that his son is now 17, and that the dolls surrounding him have transformed into three teenage girls dressed in punk-rock fashion.
“We use humor to get people’s attention while relaying an important message,” said Steven Schreibman, vice president of advertising and brand management for Nationwide. “Our ads help consumers understand the value of planning and preparation. This campaign is designed to build brand awareness among South Asians and to show that we are on their side.”
Schreibman said they pre-tested the ads, and the feedback from the target market shows they easily understood the spots and the content was highly relevant to them.
“I think it demonstrates that Nationwide has an intelligent approach to creating advertising, and it’s reflected in the fact that we have a brand campaign that’s resonating across diverse and general markets alike,” he said.
About Nationwide Financial Network
Nationwide Financial NetworkSM is comprised of Nationwide Life Insurance
Company of America, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nationwide Financial
Services, Inc. (NYSE: NFS), and its subsidiaries. NFS is a publicly
traded company based in Columbus, Ohio, that provides a variety of
financial services to help consumers investi and protect their long-term
assets, and offers retirement plans and services through both public- and
private-sector employers.
Nationwide Financial Services is part of the Nationwide group of companies, which offers diversified insurance and financial services. The group is led by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, which is ranked No. 98 on the Fortune 500 based on 2005 revenue.ii For more information, visit www.nationwide.com.
Nationwide, Nationwide Financial and the Nationwide Framemark are federally registered service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.
