AXA Equitable's New Ads Designed to Deliver Message Silently
November 19 2007 - 2:50PM
PR Newswire (US)
Four New "800-Pound Gorilla" Commercials Remind Americans to Pay
Attention to Retirement Planning NEW YORK, Nov. 19
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company is
premiering four new commercials targeted at registered investment
advisors and Americans nearing retirement. Set to air on business
news cable channels, the ads are designed to deliver their message
even without sound. Featuring the company's recognizable 800-pound
gorilla, the current marketing campaign also has integrated print
and online components. "We know that many workplaces such as
brokerage firms have TVs playing silently so we designed our ads to
have an impact whether they are viewed with the sound on or off,"
said Barbara Goodstein, Chief Innovation Officer and Executive Vice
President of Marketing of AXA Equitable. "We believe the gorilla's
message -- the importance of saving for retirement -- will resonate
with people as they plan for the next 10 or 20 years of their lives
or their clients' lives." The 800-pound gorilla uses various means
to capture the viewer's attention, such as knocking on the screen.
He then suggests that a variable annuity may be a useful option for
retirement planning. In one ad, the gorilla says, "Ready to retire?
Stop ignoring me. A variable annuity from AXA Equitable can give
you guaranteed income for life with the potential for equity
growth. But what do I know? I'm just the 800- pound gorilla in the
room." In that same ad, text appears on the screen alongside the
gorilla so that his message can be grasped even if his voice isn't
heard. The text, which flashes on the screen in sequential lines,
reads: "A variable annuity from AXA Equitable. Guaranteed income
for life. Potential for equity growth. Talk to your financial
advisor today." The four new 15-second commercials will begin
airing on MSNBC, CNBC, Bloomberg, and CNN today, and they will run
through the end of the year. They will be interspersed with the
company's existing 30-second spots. Simultaneously, AXA Equitable
is conducting print and online advertising with insurance trade
media using images similar to those used in the broadcast spots.
For example, an animated gorilla will use an airhorn, a megaphone,
and cymbals to get viewers' attention. By clicking on the animated
gorilla, registered investment advisors will be taken to
http://www.axadistributors.com/toolkit, a special landing page
where they can download educational materials. "According to the
most recent AXA Retirement Scope survey, the average American
starts preparing for retirement at age 30. But, surprisingly, our
research shows that about 15% of workers wait until age 47," said
Ms. Goodstein. "We are trying to reach these procrastinators to
tell them that they should begin planning for their futures today."
AXA Equitable launched the first in this series of ads in 2006. The
campaign, created by Merkley + Partners, features an animatronic
gorilla that appeared in "Instinct," a major motion picture from
Touchstone Pictures (1999). NOTE TO EDITORS: Commercial stills or
DVDs are available upon request. About AXA Equitable's Variable
Annuities "Guaranteed income for life" refers to the guarantee
feature associated with annuity pay-outs during the annuitization
phase of the product. Guarantees are based on the claims paying
ability of AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company of New York, N.Y. A
variable annuity is intended for investors seeking a financial
product that offers tax deferral. Annuities are co-distributed by
affiliates AXA Advisors, LLC and AXA Distributors, LLC. Anyone
considering the purchase of a variable annuity should consider the
charges, risks, expenses, and investment objectives carefully. For
a prospectus containing this and other information, interested
parties should read it carefully before investing or sending money
and contact a financial advisor. About AXA Equitable AXA Equitable
Life Insurance Company has been in business since 1859 and is a
leading nationwide issuer of life insurance and annuity products.
The company has over 11,000 employees and sales personnel and
approximately 4.8 million policy/contract holders nationwide as of
December 31, 2006. AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, New York,
N.Y., is one of the premier U.S. organizations providing life
insurance and annuity products and services for the financial
services market. Variable products are co- distributed by
affiliates AXA Advisors, LLC, and AXA Distributors, LLC. AXA
Equitable's parent company, AXA Financial, Inc., is a member of the
global AXA Group, a worldwide leader in financial protection and
wealth management. AXA Group's operations are diverse
geographically, with major operations in Western Europe, North
America, and the Asia/Pacific region. The AXA ordinary share is
listed on the Paris Stock Exchange and trades under the symbol AXA.
The AXA American Depositary Share is also listed on the NYSE under
the ticker symbol AXA. AXA Equitable is solely responsible for its
life insurance and annuity obligations. AXA Equitable is a sponsor
of the Variable Annuities Knowledge Center
(http://www.variableannuityfacts.org/), an online resource aimed at
helping consumers understand the facts surrounding variable
annuities. The Variable Annuities Knowledge Center is operated by a
standalone non-profit organization and is overseen by an
independent advisory board. We invite you to visit us at
http://www.axa-equitable.com/. DATASOURCE: AXA Equitable CONTACT:
Lisa Tibbitts, +1-212-314-2811, , or Discretion Winter,
+1-212-314-2968, , both of AXA Equitable Web site:
http://www.axa-equitable.com/ http://www.variableannuityfacts.org/
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