Content area
Full text
Phyllis Silverstein and Susan Leonard team to pUsh long-time DRTV stalwart Colonial Penn into today's era of multichannel performance marketing.
"We are strictly performance-based," says Susan Leonard, head of direct mail, web, and digital marketing for Philadelphia-based Colonial Penn Life Insurance Co., a direct-to-consumer (D-to-C) life insurance provider. "Our channels interplay by using a consistent brand strategy in every communication, whether it's to a customer or prospect. As the brand evolves - moving from a legacy brand into new markets - a lot of that is about keeping a pulse on brand perception and baking it into a direct-to-consumer model."
Adds Phyllis Silverstein, the company's media director, "For the longest time, we only had the benefit of DRTV, which was two-pronged - driving response and creating brand awareness. But it's ultimately about who takes action. The marketing assets that generate response also create that overarching brand. Now, we almost don't have to call out our URL anymore - people just go there. They watch TV, get direct mail, get display ads - all are an opportunity for us to perpetuate the brand."
With more than 60 years of history - and a long track record of using direct response TV advertising to drive prospects - Colonial Penn was one of the first insurers to offer a guaranteed acceptance life insurance plan to those age 50 and older, beginning in 1968. Its current TV campaign - which, as Silverstein and Leonard noted, serves as both a direct response and branding effort - features by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek in a series of one- and two-minute spots.
The company has expanded its performance marketing efforts in recent years, however, as more of its targeted prospect base has grown web-savvy. Direct mail follow-up to TV-driven leads - once the pillar of Colonial Penn's retargeting efforts - has transitioned to a digital-based remarketing plan, where direct mail plays a support role.
It's all part of an evolution that's seen Silverstein and Leonard team to expand the effectiveness of Colonial Penn's marketing as the company expands its product offerings and target markets.
"People aren't single-threading their interactions with a company anymore," Leonard says. "Yes, we have tremendous brand equity and awareness. People know our name, the celebrity spokespeople, etc....