COLUMBUS, Georgia, Sept. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac, the
insurance company that helps employers provide workers with a
financial safety net at no direct cost to their business, announced
today that its beloved icon, the Aflac Duck, has been selected as a
member of the 2011 class of the Platinum PR Hall of Fame. Selected
by the editorial staff of PR News, Hall of Fame inductees
were chosen from a pool of PR campaigns that have been in existence
for at least three years and have had a significant impact in the
public relations industry.
"The mass appeal of the Aflac Duck enables us to lead the way in
integrating our message through a variety of avenues, including
Facebook, Twitter and crowd sourcing initiatives like our search
for a new voice for the Aflac Duck — leading to more sales
opportunities for our 70,000 agents," Aflac Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing
Officer Michael Zuna said. "We are
grateful to PR News for this tremendous honor."
The Aflac Duck campaign, launched in 2000, was previously
honored with a place on Madison Avenue's Advertising Walk of Fame
in 2004. The Aflac Duck has appeared in 53 U.S. television ads, as
well as numerous print and online ads. The Aflac Duck also appears
live at public events, generating substantial media coverage.
Since 2001, Aflac has sold an annual plush holiday Aflac Duck
with all proceeds going to the company's primary philanthropic
cause, childhood cancer. To date, the Aflac Duck has helped raise
nearly $3 million for pediatric
cancer treatment and research at the Aflac Cancer Center in
Atlanta and for children's cancer
hospitals across the nation. Altogether, Aflac has raised more than
$65 million for childhood cancer
since 1995.
"The Aflac Duck is more than a centerpiece for branding, PR and
advertising initiatives — it's a character that seems to have a
life of its own outside Aflac itself," Steve Goldstein, editorial director for PR News
said. "It belongs in the PR News Platinum PR Awards Hall of Fame as
a symbol of a campaign with legs and, in this case, webbed
feet."
Induction ceremonies for 10 campaigns will take place today in
New York City at the PR News
Platinum PR Awards Luncheon. In addition to the Aflac Duck's
induction, Aflac is a finalist in three categories for additional
Platinum PR Awards, the winners of which will be announced at
today's luncheon.
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 life insurance
company in terms of individual 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 13th 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 Investor
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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800.235.2667; 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