https://www.trendwhisperer.net/single-post/2018/0 1/16/AFLAC-ICONIC-DUCK-GOES-ANIMATRONI C-TO-HEAL
https://www.aflac.com/about-aflac/our-company/the-afl ac-duck.aspx https://gust.com/companies/sproutel
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http://www.fileedge.com/special-aflac-duck-helps-kids-liv ing-cancer/
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https://www.yankodesign.com/2018/01/16/th e-most-special-childrens-toy-ever-made/
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Miller, R. and Washington, K. (2010)
CureSearch for Children's Cancer. (2018)
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The brand personality for the Aflac Duck is suitable for the target market for the following reasons: ● ●
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Self congruity- This is the extent of which the product image matches the consumer’s self image. In this case, the brand personality associated with the duck matches with the personality of the consumers. Symbolic Consumption- this is when consumers focus more on the meanings attached to goods rather than physical properties. The Aflac Duck is a more emotional product, therefore the caregiver archetype for the brand could provide a competitive advantage. Differentiation- The product can differentiate from similar products through its archetypes and the way it advertises them. The joker archetype allows consumers to connect with others and enjoyment and the caregiver involves service and structure. (Hean, 2014 CHECK) Previous Success- Other brands that have operated in the public sector regarding healthcare and education have adopted the caregiver archetype. Brands such as Pampers and other baby care brands have exploited the need to be nurtured and supported resulting in the archetype being further named as “The Mother”. These feelings are critical for cancer patients who need constant love and support, thus it is an effective way to promote the duck.
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Simply Psychology. (2017)
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PERSONALITY THEORIES: PSYCHOANALYTIC Aflac could make use of the psychoanalytic personality theory in their marketing strategies. The psychoanalytic personality theory is based on two motivations – life and death, as well as libido and aggression. It also encourages expressing deep rooted thoughts and feelings. According to Sproutel CEO, Aaron Horowitz in 2018, the goal of My Special Aflac Duck “is to help children feel like they are not alone in the process, with the duck mirroring their own emotions.” The study shown by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences shows that survivors of child cancer will seek mental health support from a doctor or psychiatrist are 34% higher than that of his or her peers.(PC et al. 2018) This is shows a direct link between cancer and mental health issues. My Special Aflac Duck can be marketed as a way for children to express their emotions surrounding their diagnosis and treatment. The point of the robot is that children are able to mirror their own feelings through the duck if they are unable to express it themselves.
CAD – SOCIAL STRATEGIES FOR RELATING TO OTHERS
Using Horney’s 1937 CAD model, the target market for My Special Aflac Duck – child cancer patients - could fluctuate between all 3 stages. Some children may become The Complaint if they feel scared and anxious, moving closer to their parents, doctors and loved ones. Others may fit into The Aggressive if they are angry or frustrated by what is happening to them and end up moving against people who are trying to help and support them. A likely option is for children to become withdrawn or detached and move away from people. This would put them into a perpetual state of loneliness. My Special Aflac Duck is a method for children to understand their condition and to express their feelings surrounding it. They can communicate with their parents or the medical staff through their toy and it will act as a friend through a very difficult and lonely process.
Susan C. Colinger (2008)
ALFIE THE AFLAC DUCK
As part of the marketing recommendations for Aflac, a ‘mascot’ for the campaign has been created. Alfie the Aflac Duck is the face of My Special Aflac Duck. He will be used in any advertising for the product. He is the spokesperson of the brand and gives people something to associate the company with. It would not be very appropriate to use celebrity endorsement in this case as it could be regarded as insensitive. Alfie the Aflac duck will act as the celebrity endorsement, being the identifier for the brand. The aim of the product is not sales, but donations and the more people who know about the product, the more donations they will get. By having a face for the brand, Aflac are attempting to imprint the product in as many people’s minds as possible, making the brand more memorable.
MARKETING RECOMMENDATION 1- SOCIAL MEDIA The main source of advertising for My Special Aflac Duck will be through social media. Social media is very relevant to our modern society and is a very economic and quick way to spread news of a product. When using social media to market a product, there is also potential for ‘the viral effect’. This is when a product or idea is shared so far and wide that the whole world has heard of it. This would be ideal for the company as they are a not-for-profit organisation and rely on donations. The more people who know about My Special Aflac Duck, the more donations the company will receive and the more children they can support. By making use of social media, the company can easily interact with their customers. Children who suffer from cancer are likely to spend a lot of time alone in hospital wards. Not only can the physical robot provide a source of comfort and entertainment, they can ‘talk to Alfie’ via his twitter and instagram page. If many children ‘talk to Alfie’ online, they may even end up connecting with other children suffering from cancer. This is a hugely beneficial aspect of a social media campaign as suffering from cancer can feel so lonely. Being able to communicate with people suffering from similar conditions can provide support and friendship. Parents of child cancer patients can also ‘talk to Alfie’. If they have any questions or worries about the product, they can be answered very quickly by someone via social media. Parents can also meet other parents going through the same thing and seek advice, creating a community of people.
SOCIAL MEDIA- INSTAGRAM
Alfie has his own instagram page where people can follow him and see what he is getting up to. Instagram is accessible via a laptop, phone or tablet, making it an ideal way to connect with a large audience. Alfie uses his instagram page to share images with the brave children he has met, tell people where he is heading next and share pictures that the friends he has made have drawn of him. An instagram page allows Aflac to reach a huge audience of people and spread the word about the Aflac charity. More publicity should result in increased donations and increased desire for the ducks. Social media is also a very economic way of marketing meaning it will not eat into company costs.
SOCIAL MEDIA- TWITTER
Alfie also has a twitter account where you can follow him and ask him questions about My Special Aflac Duck! He would love to follow some of you back – he is a super friendly duck! #ALFIEONTHEMAP AND #IMETALFIE are the two hashtags that people can use on instagram and twitter when they post photos with Alfie. By using the hashtags, the people at Aflac can easily find the posts and interact with the people posting. It can also be used as a measure of success as the company will be able to see what people’s opinions of the product are when they post about it on social media. They can also reply to tweets or comments asking for advice. For example, if someone tweeted ‘I love the idea of My Special Aflac Duck but it could use some improvements!’, Alfie could tweet back asking what they could suggest.
MARKETING RECOMMENDATION 2 - LEAFLETS The second marketing technique that Aflac could employ are leaflets in waiting rooms of hospitals, treatment centres and support groups. Although this is a fairly basic advertising method, it is effective. Children with cancer will spend a lot of time in these three places and therefore their parents will spend a lot of time in the waiting room of these places. A stressed parent is likely to look for a distraction nearby to them and pick up leaflets or read posters on the wall. Leaflets are a good marketing method as they can provide a lot of information in a concise and aesthetically pleasing way. Another advantage of using leaflets and posters as a method of marketing is that they can be taken away. For example, if a mother of a patient is handed a leaflet about the duck in the hospital, they may be too distracted to read it and just put it in their bag. When they arrive home, however, they are likely to open their bag, find the leaflet and read it. Leaflets and posters are normally very visual, which should make them easier to remember. 65% of people are visual learners (Vakos 2018), meaning they will engage better with images than with words. An example of a poster or a leaflet front cover is shown here.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, My Special Aflac Duck is a very innovative and unique product idea that will benefit millions of children suffering from cancer. Within the 18 years since the first Aflac Duck, the company has grown greatly and the product has been refined and modified to cater for their specific target market. As the product is not commercially available, the brand relies on donations in order for the development of the duck. This means that they need to carefully consider their marketing techniques, using appropriate consumer theories to appeal to the market segment. My Special Aflac Duck covers a variety of levels within Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs including Physiological, Safety and Belonging. It also can be viewed as both a hedonic and utilitarian purchase as it has both functional and emotional features. In any modern marketing campaign social media is an important tool to use. For this product, such platforms as twitter and instagram could be used as they are highly interactive and appeal to the young audience that the duck is aimed at as well as helping to build an online community of people coping with cancer. This gives an opportunity for the families to communicate with each other as well. Although a very basic advertising method, the use of leaflets and posters would be very effective for this campaign. Parents of children affected by cancer are likely to spend a lot of time in hospital waiting rooms and turn to leaflets and posters to distract themselves. By employing the techniques and considering the methods suggested in this assignment, Aflac and Sproutel could continue to raise the profile of My Special Aflac Duck and get the product to as many children who need it as possible.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCE LIST HEAN, E., 2014. Archetype Overview with brand examples & character compass. [online] Unknown: LinkedIn Slide Share. Available from: https://www.slideshare.net/EmilyBennett/archetype-overview-from-the-hero-and-the-outlaw Accessed: 19/04/2018 HORNEY, K., 1937. The Neurotic Personality of our Time. Brooklyn: Routledge LINDSAY, F., 2015. The 12 brand archetypes all successful businesses are built on. [online] Bristol: SPARKOL. Available from: https://www.sparkol.com/en/Blog/The-12-brand-archetypes-all-successful-businesses-are-built-on Accessed: 19/04/2018 MANNING, K., 2017. Hedonic Consumption vs Utilitarian Consumption. [online] 8 May 2017. Available from: https://marketing4400.wordpress.com Accessed: 19/04/2018 MILLER, R. AND WASHINGTON, K.2010. 'CHAPTER 64: TOP-RANKED CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS', Healthcare Business Market Research Handbook, pp. 143-145, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost. Accessed: 16/04/2018 Millwardbrown.com, 2012. Why Brand Personality Matters: Aligning Your Brand to Cultural Drivers of Success. [online] Available at: http://www.millwardbrown.com/docs/default-source/insight-documents/points-of-view/millward_brown_pov_brand_personality.pdf Accessed: 22/04/2018 National Cancer Institute, 2017. Cancer in Children and Adolescents. [online] Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/types/childhood-cancers/child-adolescent-cancers-fact-sheet Accessed: 24/04/2018
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCE LIST PC et al, 2018. sickkids.ca.[online].California: Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences. Available from: http://www.sickkids.ca/AboutSickKids/Newsroom/Past-News/2018/childhood-cancer-survivors-high-risk-mental-health-events.html Accessed: 18/04/2018 SETHNA, Z. and BLYTHE, J., 2016. Consumer behaviour. Los Angeles: Sage. Simply Psychology, 2017. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. [online]. Available at: https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html Accessed: 24/04/2018. VAKOS, P., 2018. Why the Blank Stare? Strategies for Visual Learners. [online]. Available from: http://www.phschool.com/eteach/social_studies/2003_05/essay.html Accessed: 18/04/2018 Yankodesign.com, 2018. The most special children’s toy ever made. [online] Available at: https://www.yankodesign.com/2018/01/16/the-most-special-childrens-toy-ever-made/ Accessed: 24/04/2018