Prudential Financial Airs Life Insurance Ads with a Twist; One Television Ad With Two Different Endings

Business Wire, Sept 22, 2005

NEWARK, N.J. -- Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU) has introduced a thought-provoking ad campaign featuring a father-son exchange about life insurance. The ad features a dad and his young son watching TV together. Seeing a life insurance ad from The Prudential Insurance Company of America prompts the boy to ask, "Do we have life insurance?" In a twist which mimics life, there are two versions of the ad--one ending with a reassuring "yes" from the dad, and the other in which he hesitates uncomfortably, clearly suggesting a "no."

Tom Burke, vice president of advertising and head of Prudential's in-house ad agency said that the ads seem to strike a chord with people. The little drama being played out on TV also plays out in the mind of the viewer. "For parents who have life insurance, its an emotional reminder that they did the right thing. For those who don't have it, it's a compelling call to action."

Maria Umbach, vice president, Marketing for Prudential's Individual Life Insurance unit was looking for an ad that emphasizes the importance of life insurance. "We wanted an emotional ad and we wanted the message to be a positive one, focusing on love as a motivator for purchasing insurance."

The distinctive 30-second spot, called "Hey Dad," is being aired nationally, leading with the "yes" version. The "no" version is slated to follow. "We've had a lot of fun, internally, debating the merits of the two versions," said Burke. "Recently, 1300 Prudential employees voted for their favorite in an on-line survey, and the results were surprisingly close. Prudential has a rich history of being a noteworthy TV advertiser. This dual-ending approach is just the latest installment." The Prudential Insurance Company of America is headquartered in Newark, NJ.

Prudential Financial companies, with approximately $511 billion in total assets under management as of June 30, 2005, serve individual and institutional customers worldwide and include The Prudential Insurance Company of America, one of the largest life insurance companies in the United States. These companies offer a variety of products and services, including life insurance, mutual funds, annuities, pension and retirement related services and administration, asset management, securities brokerage, banking and trust services, real estate brokerage franchises and relocation services. For more information, visit www.prudential.com.