If you live in the Northwest, you probably have seen PEMCO Insurance’s innovative marketing “We’re a Lot Like You” campaign. Maybe you even have a favorite profile, such as socks and sandals guy, the recumbent bike computer, relentless recycler or the Marymoor off-leash dog lady. Have you ever wondered about the history of this campaign?
This week I had the opportunity to hear Rod Brooks, CMO with PEMCO, speak at the Puget Sound American Marketing Association Luncheon. His presentation was terrific because it clearly demonstrated the importance of knowing your customer and positioning. It was also fun to hear Rod talk about how the campaign has been extended from traditional ads to outdoor advertising, social media, PR and more. It is another fabulous example of the power of integrated marketing communications.
Anyway, I selfishly wanted to make sure I captured some of the salient points of Rod’s presentation so I decided to blog about it. Here are some of the highlights:
Before creating its campaign, the insurance company did significant market research. They made their first use of “ethnographic research” and sent folks (trained researchers) out to the homes of customers and potential customers to glean information, study their environments and generally find out what was on their minds. Here is what was learned:
- People in the NW are fiercely independent;
- We are leaders in innovation – Rod joked that in the eyes of our NW neighbors, anything invented that is GOOD probably came from the NW;
- We’re proud – This is evidenced from the above bullet;
- We’re incredibly green – And act as if we invented composting and the whole idea of recycling; and
- We love Main Street. Local trumps large; personal trumps price. Rod explained people in the northwest like to go to our local pet store, even if it costs a bit more than a big chain pet store down the road.
The goal was to connect core Northwest values to PEMCO. PEMCO wanted to own the local market. After all, from a brand positioning perspective, this was a message that the large, national insurance companies would not be able to own. This was important to the overall brand strategy as PEMCO is a challenger brand, which means PEMCO competes with the big boys (and girls) who are all national players and have far greater resources.
As a challenger, Rod explains that PEMCO lacks economies of scale. The company must have well-defined strategies; be highly creative, innovative, resourceful and nimble; and be willing to challenge the establishment – starting with the internal sacred cows that graze inside the organization. Finally, relevant to all of us, PEMCO must capitalize on word of mouth from loyal customers and advocates.
Rod also explained that PEMCO’s overarching business objective is to “sustain profitable growth” and consistently deliver a “world class customer experience” at every touch point. He said that “a perfect storm or convergence of internal forces” has come together at the right time and place to make this goal a reality. They include: 1) The marketing BHAG: to never have to pay for a lead again (they want to grow through referrals); 2) The PEMCO culture: to foster a culture where the company leads with its relationships; and finally, 3) Commitment to hearing and responding to the voice of the customer: to stand in the customers’ shoes each and every time a strategic decision is made. These certainly are lofty goals, but it was important that the campaign helped PEMCO move toward these goals.
In closing, Rod shared how the campaign has been extended from traditional ads to banners on buses, social media and even the WALLY van (a clever acronym for We Are A Lot Like You). The WALLY van provides PEMCO with the opportunity to stay connected with the community by travelling to events around our state. To view Rod’s presentation titled, “Word of Mouth Marketing: Blending Online and Offline Approaches,” click here.
All in all, it was a fabulous presentation. Rod is an inspiration and it was valuable to learn more about the strategies and tactics of this successful brand strategy.
