PDF With Speaker Notes This PEMCO case study showing how a hyper-local Northwest insurance company took word of mouth marketing offline was chosen to be a featured presentation at the 2011 WOMMA School of WOM.

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3. Robert Handy – School teach and entrepreneur
Focused on responsible people in Washington state
Leads with relationship, followed closely by operational efficiency (price), and product
Core values: Integrity, responsibility, courage
“Lead with trust. There’s no right way to do the wrong thing”
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4. Robert Handy – School teach and entrepreneur
Focused on responsible people in Washington state
Leads with relationship, followed closely by operational efficiency (price), and product
Core values: Integrity, responsibility, courage
“Lead with trust. There’s no right way to do the wrong thing”

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6. Insurance is a product that most people don’t understand, don’t want to buy, and don’t
want to use after they buy it.
Commonly thought of as the product they buy where “They only win by losing”
What else do you buy that you don’t want to use?
The voice of the customer is critical to growth oriented businesses. Consumers believe
their neighbor, their relatives, even complete strangers online more than the spokespeople
for the companies wanting to embrace them.
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9. Getting To Great was a little booklet prepared to kick off PEMCO’s hyper local “We’re A Lot
Like You” campaign in 2007. In it, was a page communicating the CMO BHAG. To never
have to advertise for a lead again.
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11. Competitive Analysis
Researched top 12 competitors
Product offering
Pricing
Brand, messaging
Advertising
Public Relations
Internal Research
Internal interviews
Conducted stakeholder interviews
Internal interview insights
Culture
Strengths
Challenges
Opportunities
Consumer Research
Conducted over 100 ethnographic interviews
Conversations focused on what’s important to consumers,
what influences decisions they make, etc.
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12. 1. Differentiate on hyper local: “We’re a lot like you” campaign:
‐Central campaign and supporting programs – quirky, humorous, relatable
‐every event embraces unique NW personality – show we “get it”
‐PEMCO is different because we live, work, play in same communities as our
customers
2. Deliver world class customer experience: Invest in long‐term relationships with
consumers through consistent engagement
3. Drive improvement through service innovation: Extend responsibility to build
customer relationships and listen to VOC across the organization
‐ Inform employees of where brand conversations are taking place
‐ Communicate expectations and procedures for social media engagement
‐ Train employees on social media tools to give them the confidence to join
the conversation
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17. Multi channel: consumer encounters and engages with our brand in a number of different
ways. Found that encounters with more traditional forms of advertising will drive
consumers and customers to engage with us in the offline and social spaces.
Shareable: to be shareable, the experience or discovery has to be truly talk worthy.
Dressing up your PR messages as talk worthy content won’t fool consumers. Create
engagement opportunities around your marketing or community relations initiatives/values
to trigger conversations. It’s the experience that will create conversation, not your PR
message. (Offline example: Flag day, Children’s Helmet Fitting)
Output growth: how will the same input yield a greater output? Start with sustained,
consistent input. Surprise and delight activities (photo program). Value exchange, your time
and attention for our giveaway (avoid the self serving Tchotchke) finally provide exclusivity
and offer insider info (sounders facebook contests, Jr. Alliance cards, Autograph Alley
passes) Example: Sounders
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18. Multi channel: consumer encounters and engages with our brand in a number of different
ways. Found that encounters with more traditional forms of advertising will drive
consumers and customers to engage with us in the offline and social spaces.
Shareable: to be shareable, the experience or discovery has to be truly talk worthy.
Dressing up your PR messages as talk worthy content won’t fool consumers. Create
engagement opportunities around your marketing or community relations initiatives/values
to trigger conversations. It’s the experience that will create conversation, not your PR
message. (Offline example: Flag day, Children’s Helmet Fitting)
Output growth: how will the same input yield a greater output? Start with sustained,
consistent input. Surprise and delight activities (photo program). Value exchange, your time
and attention for our giveaway (avoid the self serving Tchotchke) finally provide exclusivity
and offer insider info (sounders facebook contests, Jr. Alliance cards, Autograph Alley
passes) Example: Sounders
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19. Consistency: As a very personal extension of our brand, all elements of our offline activities
are consistent in their drive to connect on a local level and relate to our NW friends and
neighbors. From the look and feel of our event vehicle and giveaways, to the profile t‐shirts
that PEMCO volunteer crews wear when they’re out and about, our neighbors know how
and where to find us and what to expect when they see us at work in our communities.
Dependability: When you’ve built a reputation for being the go‐to destination before a
Seahawks games, you’d better deliver. It’s hard work to weave an experience with your
brand seamlessly into the fabric and pulse of a community. Be very conscious of this
standing once you’ve achieved it and make sure you honor your commitment to fans and
event goers that look forward to seeing you there.
Familiarity: Get to know your fans on a personal level. Leverage consistency and
dependability to build relationships and connect with your fans and neighbors. When
there’s comfort and trust, they eagerly share their own stories and may even tell yours
down the road.
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21. Form strategic partnerships with local organizations that share PEMCO’s philosophy, vision
and values to achieve marketing objectives.
Through its involvement in local events, PEMCO seeks to extend the co’s brand and the
shared values expressed in the “Were a lot like you. A little different.” ad campaign by
interacting with WA and OR residents in the communities where they live and the local
fixtures we’re proud of.
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22. We looked for high leverage ways to bring recognized NW Challenger Brands together. Our
common denominator? The Super‐Long Coffee Orderer!
PEMCO ‐‐ Tully’s Coffee ‐‐ Children’s Hospital
Tully’s Coffee Partnership, an 8‐week partnership with a NW coffee company to celebrate a
shared audience: the “Super‐Long Coffee Orderer.”
Offline examples: “Super‐Long Coffee Order” contest at Tully’s locations
Offline examples: Corporate citizenship – contribution to Children’s Hospital
in winners’ names
Offline examples: Traditional media – live radio remote from Tully’s flagship
store to kick off partnership
Scalable metrics: contest participation, radio listenership, earned media
placements
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23. We looked for high leverage ways to bring recognized NW Challenger Brands together. Our
common denominator: teen drivers
Offline teen driver brochure with interactive CD enclosed. Polls and quizzes for parents and
info for teens about to drive.
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24. Offline example: Northwest Profiles from PEMCO’s ad campaign— “Supercharged
Seahawks Fan;” “’I Know I Am, I’m Sure I Am’ Sounders FC Fan” NW Profile NW profile –
sharable via offline channels
Offline examples: Fan interactions at events booth, custom souvenir photos; Jr. Alliance
membership, kits, Autograph Alley experience
Offline examples: Player appearances at PEMCO‐supported events (e.g., Blitz appearance at
Children’s Hospital Car Seat Fitting)
Metrics: Impressions through traditional advertising, positive media mentions, visitors to
PEMCO booth, participants in offline partnership activities and contests
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28. Independent local agencies that sell PEMCO products among other brands
DIAs write about 30‐35% of the PEMCO policies. We support them through many offline
channels including advertising and branding, and even merchandise.
Community Agents have access to the PEMCO store and account for x% of purchasing to
extend the brand to potential and new PEMCO customers. This partnership makes perfect
sense, we’re the local insurance carrier and they’re the friendly insurance agent with
offices on main street. The reasons a customer goes to a CA align closely with the reasons a
Northwesterner choses PEMCO.
For this reason, we often support our local agents when they’re involved with different
events and activities in their communities – to raise awareness of PEMCO at the
community level.
Offline examples: Partnerships at community events sponsorships (shredding event,
National Night Out, hyper‐local events)
Offline examples: Shared marketing collateral and branding, monthly Agent Alert shares
marketing updates and campaign messaging
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30. Attracting potential partners: tell your brand story to attract compelling brand partners
• What can your brand offer? For PEMCO, everyone wants a profile. But we can’t force it,
it has to be natural and authentic.
• Lead with relationship: it starts with a conversation
• Gauge partner image & reputation: it’s not just about the awareness level of the partner,
it’s about how the brands align and what that brand represents to your target market.
• Seek complimentary strengths: where do they have strengths that we don’t or can’t
capitalize in our day to day ‐ retail presence is big for us
• Capitalize on identity: who you are as a brand and what you represent is a huge asset.
For PEMCO, we mean local and secure. Know not only what you’re good at, but what
message you’re presence will send to a potential partners’ customers/ target market.
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31. ‐ Year‐round community engagement program to demonstrate PEMCO’s
commitment to Northwest communities
‐ Goal is to engage in a coordinated effort to raise PEMCO’s profile among current
and prospective policyholders and to extend the PEMCO brand through grass‐
roots and community level sponsorships.
‐ As a whole, the program will succeed if it helps to achieve PEMCO’s overarching
marketing goals, reinforces PEMCO’s commitment to the Northwest as a locally‐
based insurance company and helps to establish a memorable and recurring
presence at events in the region.
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32. Between May 2009 to now, PEMCO has sponsored more than 50 events where PEMCO
Brand Ambassadors serve as a listening post and information center where community
members can participate in meaningful conversations about PEMCO Insurance.
Through these conversations, we’ve learned more about the people of the Northwest and
how to better serve them. This is the heart of our Voice of the Customer initiative which we
talked about earlier – where we strive to build meaningful relationships and gather insight
into what matters to the people we serve.
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35. Goats at the Sounders match
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37. Frequency: Sponsored event every weekend during summer months, complementary
(Sounders/Seahawks) weekly, supplemented with mid‐week service oriented or visibility
events weekly.
Reportedly, 90% of all WOM is face to face… or at least, NOT digitally driven.
PEMCO made sure we walked the talk and showed up in the communities where our
customers and prospects live, work, learn and play.
This integrated program capitalized on a set of opportunities that best reinforce PEMCO’s
brand position including:
1. An array of local grassroots‐level events – Fremont Fair, Seafair, Issaquah Salmon Days,
Taste Washington, etc.
2. The creation of a fully‐modular, branded, motorized vehicle (WALLY1)
3. A set of activities that foster meaningful interaction and Brand Ambassadors to serve as
the face of the company within the community.
The program’s goal is to increase positive touch points – both online and offline – between
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38. PEMCO and the local Northwest community.
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39. Form strategic partnerships with local organizations that share PEMCO’s philosophy, vision
and values to achieve marketing objectives.
Through its involvement in local events, PEMCO seeks to extend the co’s brand and the
shared values expressed in the “Were a lot like you. A little different.” ad campaign by
interacting with WA and OR residents in the communities where they live and the local
fixtures we’re proud of.
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40. Pitched feature stories: Telling our story in the community.
Noteworthy examples include everything from smaller flag exchange events, to larger
programs stemming from our partner relationships. Also, highlights campaign activities and
telling behind the scenes story of PEMCO’s Northwest Profiles (Evening Magazine “Behind
the Scenes” segment)
Offline examples: Favorable coverage in print, broad and radio news media positioning
PEMCO as a credible source of relevant information.
Offline examples: Measureable impressions among readership, listenership and viewership
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41. ‐ Timely news releases on insurance‐related issues, e.g. winter driving tips, identity theft
protection, household maintenance/repair prevention
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42. PEMCO Insurance NW Poll, gauges attitudes and perceptions of Northwest residents on
local issues. PEMCO shares results in the form of news releases to targeted media outlets
to earn favorable news media coverage.
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43. Demonstrate PEMCO’s support of local organizations, causes and create ways for
employees to participate in community‐relations driven activities
‐ Year‐round community engagement program to demonstrate PEMCO’s
commitment to Northwest communities
‐ Goal is to engage in a coordinated effort to raise PEMCO’s profile among current
and prospective policyholders and to extend the PEMCO brand through grass‐
roots and community level sponsorships.
‐ As a whole, the program will succeed if it helps to achieve PEMCO’s overarching
marketing goals, reinforces PEMCO’s commitment to the Northwest as a locally‐
based insurance company and helps to establish a memorable and recurring
presence at events in the region.
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54. communities.
Make it easy to talk about and share.
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