COLUMBUS, Ga., April 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a
month-long search that included celebrities, actors, professional
voice over artists and individuals from the general public, Aflac
today introduced 36-year-old Dan
McKeague of Hugo,
Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis, as the new voice of the Aflac
Duck. The married father of three submitted his audition online and
was informed that he had been selected after a review of more than
12,500 live and online auditions.
"I have long admired people who can act and make the most of
their voice and have tried to emulate them," McKeague said. "I want
to thank Aflac for the incredible honor of voicing the greatest
icon in corporate America and representing a company that not only
leads its industry but also leaves a positive social imprint in
every community it serves."
McKeague, Sales Manager for radio stations KQRS and Love
105 in Minneapolis, has
experience doing local voiceovers. He is also Vice President for
the Board of Directors of the non-profit Children's Safety Centers
in St. Paul, which provides safe
havens for children to hold supervised visits with non-custodial
relatives. Dan will make his vocal debut immediately in Aflac's
latest commercial titled Pigeon, wherein the Aflac Duck
represents insurance coverage that includes major medical and
Aflac, while a pigeon represents coverage that includes only major
medical coverage without the financial protection of Aflac. The new
ad will be available this evening on the Aflac Duck's Facebook
page.
Casting agencies conducted live auditions in six major cities
across the United States and
accepted online submissions at quackaflac.com, seeking someone who
could not only provide the voice of the Aflac Duck, but who could
also represent the philanthropy and the ethical values embraced by
Aflac's employees and thousands of independent sales agents across
the nation. Experts reviewed more than 12,500 entries before
scaling the list to 20 finalists, each of whom was called back for
a second audition. The 20 finalists were then further
whittled down to a group of eight prior to McKeague's
selection.
"We were tremendously impressed with the wealth of talent who
applied for this job. Dan impressed us with his vocal range and
acting ability," Aflac Senior Vice
President and Chief Marketing Officer Michael Zuna said. "He understands that he is
making marketing history representing our company, our 72,000
independent sales agents and our well-earned reputation as a
company that does business the right way."
Since 2000, the Aflac Duck has appeared in 52 television ads and
numerous radio ads, helping increase the company's brand
recognition from slightly more than 10 percent to an amazing 93
percent. The Aflac Duck is also a symbol for the company's primary
philanthropic cause, helping Aflac raise more than $62 million for the treatment and research of
childhood cancer.
Please click here to view video of Aflac
President Paul Amos, Chairman and
CEO Dan Amos and CMO Michael Zuna
informing Mr. McKeague that he was selected as the new voice of the
Aflac Duck.
To download this video, please click
here.
ABOUT AFLAC
When a policyholder gets sick or hurt, Aflac pays cash benefits
fast. For more than 55 years, Aflac insurance policies have helped
provide a safety net and given policyholders the opportunity to
focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the United States, Aflac is the number one
provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance. In Japan, Aflac is the number one insurance
company in terms of individual insurance policies in force. Aflac
insurance products provide protection to more than 50 million
people worldwide. For five consecutive years, Aflac has been
recognized by Ethisphere magazine as one of the World's Most
Ethical Companies and by Forbes magazine as one of America's
Best-Managed Companies in the Insurance category. In 2011,
Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best
Companies to Work For in America for the thirteenth consecutive
year. Also, Fortune magazine included Aflac on its list of
Most Admired Companies for the 10th time in 2011. Aflac
Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit
aflac.com or aflacenespanol.com.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100423/CL92305LOGO
)
Media Contacts:
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Analyst and Investment
Contact:
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Laura Kane
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Robin Y. Wilkey
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Aflac Incorporated
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Aflac Incorporated
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706.596.3493
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1.800.235.2667, Option 3;
Fax: 706.324.6330
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lkane@aflac.com
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rwilkey@aflac.com
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Jon A. Sullivan
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Aflac Incorporated
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706.763.4813
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jsullivan@aflac.com
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SOURCE Aflac