This psychological moment of clarity is also called “the
insight experience.” And scientists now know that these moments of clarity
come with enhanced brainwave activity in non-visual parts of the brain, particularly
in the temporal lobe.
Mutual of Omaha, the legendary insurance company that is this
year celebrating its 100th anniversary, defines the Ah-Ha experience as “a
moment of clarity, the aha moment is a defining moment where you gain real wisdom
— wisdom you can use to change your life.” They’ve taken this
ancient idea, historically portrayed as an apple dropping on Sir Isaac Newton’s
head, propelling his insight into the nature of gravity, and transformed it
into a new branding campaign.
Although not limited in scope to just the Boomer generation,
a preponderant number of the Ah-Ha moments in the company’s new advertising
campaign are stories shared by people who are north of 45.
For example, “Tom,” a man appearing to be in his
fifties, tells the story of sitting on a dock for two days, reflecting and imagining.
He was looking for a change in his life, and he thought of a premise for a children’s
book. At that moment, he made a commitment to complete a book for his young
goddaughters.
“Pauline” and “Jane,” two great friends
who have shared much history, announce that “fear of aging is a big lie.”
They are determined to disarm the myths and stereotypes of aging, and they do
so with laughter and temerity.
As you spend time with the “Official Sponsor of the Aha
Moment,” you’ll discover many other special moments in the lives
of ordinary people. This is what makes this branding campaign out of the ordinary:
real lives, real stories, real people, and real production values. These are
people who’ve all encountered a personal moment of reckoning and have
taken another path, the experiential route to greater authenticity and congruency.
These consumer testimonials enhance the authenticity of an insurance
company in a time when belief in the veracity and altruism of the industry is
under a hailstorm of criticism. These witnesses to personal change and growth
don’t sell insurance; they portray the possibilities for lives grown larger
through the magic of wisdom. The campaign inspires “citizen journalism”
and showcases hopeful, human stories in a time of broad pessimism. (Pay attention
to why the website is also a clever database development tool.)
This makes the Mutual of Omaha’s campaign quite wise in
the context of much national stupidity. It’s a nuanced and integrated
branding program that appropriately portrays older people as relevant, passionate
and committed. It’s optimistic, realistic and memorable in its simplicity.
The companion website, http://www.ahamoment.com,
compels each of us to consider our own wisest moments of insight. The elder
statesman of insurance companies connects the dots between our shortcomings
and our dreams for a better tomorrow.
As I became acquainted with this marketing campaign, I reconnected
to my own history with the company. Most Boomers remember Mutual of Omaha’s
“Wild Kingdom,” the television series begun in 1962 and starring
zoologist Marlin Perkins. Not only did Perkins occupy a special place as a celebrity,
he had a significant role in propelling Boomers toward a conservation ethic.
The original show earned a modicum of fame in advertising circles for the “sneaky
commercial,” which would involve host Perkins saying something to this
effect: “Just as the mother lion protects her cubs, you can protect your
children with an insurance policy from Mutual of Omaha...”
There is nothing sneaky in the company’s contemporary
marketing program. It is the kind of straight-ahead campaign I had in mind on
a frosty morning seven years ago when my own “insight experience”
made me aware that marketers could do a better job of reflecting the wisdom
and benefits of growing, learning and aging.
BRENT GREEN
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