Farmers Campaign Features 'True Stories' To Nurture Agent-Customer Relationship

Faced with the reality that the public rarely hears good news about insurance–with consumer media outlets focusing on claims being denied and corrupt industry executives–Farmers Insurance Group launched an ad campaign called “True Stories,” featuring actual agents and their customers talking about their relationships and positive experiences together.

“We are in the business of helping people, but somehow it hasn't gotten across to consumers,” said Kevin Kelso, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of the Los Angeles-based Farmers. “We can do a much better job of showing that, in fact, that's what we do.”

To get this message across through the campaign, Mr. Kelso and the people at Farmers, along with The Richards Group, a Dallas-based ad agency, tried to get to the heart of consumer demands for better service. “We looked at a number of different kinds of campaigns, did a lot of consumer research and tried to see what kind of communications made sense to them,” Mr. Kelso noted.

The research found that people want to see and hear from real people in ads, and that no one wanted to see actors playing the role of agent and consumer, he said.

On a positive note, “the research showed that our customers really like their agents a lot. They really feel that their agents are personally interested in them and provide them with great service and great info,” according to Mr. Kelso.

Based on the fact that consumers wanted to see real people, and that Farmers agents were held in such high esteem in the eyes of their customers, Farmers and The Richards Group launched the “True Stories” campaign, sending out a message asking agents to send in any consumer-related tales from their time with the company.

“We felt pretty strongly that there were going to be a lot of interesting stories,” Mr. Kelso said. “We've received over 400 stories so far.”

With so many entries handed in, Farmers was faced with tough decisions as to which to feature in ads, having to cut many would-be deserving stories.

“It was kind of hard to pick. We spent a fair amount of time with that. We wanted to stay away from outlandish claims stories that have become a common thing because that isn't really the point. That's not what customers are looking for,” said Mr. Kelso.

Instead of highlighting those rare and absurd claims often seen or written about in the general press, Farmers decided to go a different route, centering on the connection between clients and their agents.

“We wanted to focus more on the relationship of the agent and their customers,” Mr. Kelso continued. “A lot of times it doesn't mean there had to be a claim. They get a feeling of satisfaction because working with our agents–they feel they have their bases covered. It's a feeling of responsibility.”

This relationship is absolutely vital to the mission of insurance, which is to help customers be financially prepared for the worst events in life, according to Mr. Kelso.

For that reason, the ads start out with text: “Being Ready: A True Story From Farmers.” Mr. Kelso explained that “readiness is an essential element for our new campaign. It's in the nature of what we do to help our customers be ready.”

One story in the ad campaign centers on a husband and wife living in a volatile wild brush area in Malibu, Southern California. Their house was in such a dangerous spot, so susceptible to wildfire, that the couple had trouble convincing anyone to quote their homeowners coverage.

However, with the help of their agent, Bart Baker of Farmers, the couple was able to reduce the risk of their property with some strategic and preventative landscaping measures, allowing them to take out an affordable insurance policy on the house.

Soon after, a wildfire blazed through the surrounding foothills and destroyed nearly everything in its path–except, that is, for the house of the Farmers clients.

“[Mr. Baker] was the difference between the house being lost and saved,” Mr. Kelso proclaimed.

Mr. Baker, who has been a Farmers agent for 25 years, has been serving some clients for over 20 years, and even has second-generation buyers who are kids of his customers.

Mr. Baker believes he's achieved such longevity in insurance by developing a partnership based on trust with customers, not just by selling them policies at a good price. “It's all about developing a long-term relationship. We want to be able to tell them that we have them covered,” he said.

The story of Farmers agent Maureen Martinez, also dealing with California wildfires, continues with this theme. Her story is about her relationship with a firefighter named Ricky from the Valencia, Calif. area, about 40 minutes outside of Los Angeles.

“When we were asked to send in our stories, I immediately thought of Ricky. Not only is he a friend, he's been our client for years,” Ms. Martinez explained. “We've built a relationship with him over the years.”

Ricky is called on, every year, to help tame the fires that plague the Southwestern United States as summer rolls into autumn. He puts his life on the line, often away for weeks at a time, despite having a family at home to care for.

Ms. Martinez provides his life, homeowners and auto insurance, which Ricky in the ad says helps him feel more secure in the knowledge that his family is protected from all possible hazards. The ads end with a voiceover that asks: “Are you this ready? Get to know a Farmers' agent today, because 'ready' feels good.'”

“I'm a mom, and I feel my home's filled with irreplaceable memories. Ricky is a hero to all these families. He's our hero. I'm honored to be helping him since he does so much for us,” she explained.

During the ad, Ricky describes his agent, Ms. Martinez, as “awesome.”

Like Mr. Baker, Ms. Martinez stressed the importance of her relationship with her clients. “As an agent, a mother, a wife–I can relate to everyone that I'm talking to as my customer,” she added. “It's all relationship-based. It's the people business.”

This is one of the goals of the campaign–to remind the public that an insurance agent is their friend, providing clients with comfort and peace of mind.

“My clients don't really feel they're insured with Farmers. They feel that they're insured with their agent,” said Mr. Baker.

Ryan O'Hanlon is a journalism intern from Holy Cross.