The AFLAC Duck Selected as One of America's Favorite Icons
September 20 2004 - 3:18PM
PR Newswire (US)
The AFLAC Duck Selected as One of America's Favorite Icons
COLUMBUS, Ga., Sept. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The AFLAC Duck
has been inducted into the Advertising Walk of Fame as one of
America's favorite brand icons. The spokesduck is among five
finalists chosen by online voters as one of the most beloved
advertising symbols and will be honored with an image- enshrined
sidewalk plaque at 50th Street and Madison Avenue in New York City.
Although the most contemporary icon on the ballot, making its
national debut less than five years ago, the AFLAC Duck managed to
beat several veteran competitors including the Jolly Green Giant
and the Energizer Bunny for a spot on the Walk of Fame. Created by
the Kaplan Thaler Group, the popular commercial series featuring
the well-known duck has generated more than 90% brand recognition
for AFLAC since its launch in 2000. "We are very pleased that
America has connected so well with the AFLAC Duck campaign in such
a short period of time," said Dan Amos, CEO and chairman of AFLAC,
noting the duck's quick rise to fame. "This win is a great honor,
and we appreciate the recognition given to us by the voting
public." Winners were announced during a Walk of Fame dedication
ceremony held in Times Square, where a procession of all 26
nominated brand symbols filled the streets of New York. Gilbert
Gottfried, celebrity friend of the AFLAC Duck, participated in the
parade of advertising mascots by arriving in a convertible with a
giant plush replica of his feathered pal. The Advertising Icon
Award is the latest honor in a collection of accolades given to the
AFLAC Duck Campaign. Other honors bestowed upon the famous fowl
include a 2002 Gold Effie, an award recognizing the year's best
advertising campaigns and a pair of Midas awards for the best in
creative consumer communication. The top five finalists were
selected through a nationwide online voting process where consumers
cast their ballots using a dedicated website by Yahoo! Voting took
place from July 26, 2004 through September 20, 2004. AFLAC
Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) is an international holding company. A
Fortune 500 company, AFLAC insures more than 40 million people
worldwide. It is a leading writer of insurance products marketed at
the worksite in the United States, offering policies to employees
at more than 309,000 payroll accounts. The company insures one out
of four Japanese households and is the largest life insurer in
Japan in terms of individual insurance policies in force. In
January 2004, AFLAC was included in Fortune magazine's list of "The
100 Best Companies to Work for in America" for the sixth
consecutive year. Also in January 2004, AFLAC was named to Forbes
magazine's "Platinum 400 List of America's Best Big Companies" for
the fifth consecutive year. In March 2004, Fortune magazine
included AFLAC in its annual listing of "America's Most Admired
Companies." AFLAC's Internet address is http://www.aflac.com/ . The
Kaplan Thaler Group (http://www.kaplanthalergroup.com/ ) has been
ranked by industry publications as the fastest-growing New York
advertising agency and touted for its breakthrough creative and
immediate results. KTG is part of the Publicis Groupe, one of the
world's largest communications holding companies. Contacts: Mechell
Clark AFLAC Incorporated (706) 243-8004
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040920/DAM045-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040920/DAM045-b
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010525/AFLACLOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: AFLAC Incorporated CONTACT:
Mechell Clark of AFLAC Incorporated, +1-706-243-8004, or Web site:
http://www.aflac.com/ http://www.kaplanthalergroup.com/
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