CSR alone no longer differentiates brands. Today, to cut through the clutter of a crowded CSR field, it is essential that programs are sustainable and relevant to your core business mission.

Despite a long-term commitment to childhood cancer research and treatment, Aflac’s efforts weren’t earning recognition. The company also faced reputation challenges. Traditional approaches to PR or CSR wouldn’t solve either issue.

Instead, Aflac identified a way to directly help children undergoing cancer treatments. Leveraging its brand icon, the Aflac Duck, and cutting-edge social robotics, Aflac turned a business challenge into a notable demonstration of how brands can change lives.

A Reputation Institute survey showed that Aflac was not recognized for its efforts in corporate responsibility on a national scale. Aflac took a risk in pivoting its beloved advertising icon with $20 billion value, the Aflac Duck (which has generated 90% brand recognition in the U.S. and Japan), into a philanthropic force.

Aflac combined the famous Aflac Duck with cutting-edge social robotics for a cause, turning a business challenge into a demonstration of how brands can change lives.

Through qualitative and quantitative results, Aflac has been able to build the business case linking CSR and financial outcomes.

Objectives:

- Engage key audiences.

- Enhance Aflac’s reputation.

- Tangibly link Aflac with the childhood cancer cause.

- Align Aflac’s CSR to the brand’s caring-innovator archetype.

- Position Aflac as a leading voice in a national conversation building support for the cause.

- Measurably benefit children facing childhood cancer.

Childhood cancer patients face an average 1,000 days of treatment – and lasting physical and emotional impacts. They need more than medicine. Studies show play is invaluable for ill children, who often act out their treatment with toys, gaining familiarity with stressful regimens and a sense of control.

My Special Aflac Duck is an experience, not a toy; an innovative social robot modeled on Aflac’s brand icon. With four patents pending, it facilitates nurturing medical play: users feed, bathe, administer treatments to, and use breathing exercises to calm their duck. It features lifelike movement (nuzzling, breathing, moving to music), emotions (tap emoji cards to the duck and it expresses the feeling), medical accessories, and a mixed-reality app that encourages children to play and communicate.

This CSR innovation is tangible, emotionally compelling, ownable, brand-aligned, scalable and relevant nationwide. Aflac aims to DONATE one to every U.S. childhood cancer patient, aged 3+.

Insight: Interest would be generated entirely through PR (there was no advertising behind the program), so a successful unveiling – in an unexpected context at the Consumer Electronics Show – was key. Securing an Associated Press story the day prior to launch delivered advance exposure, drawing crowds and media attention, leading to 2 billion+ earned media impressions at CES. Duck delivery events at hospitals nationwide and a robust social media, awards, and speaking program continues to drive a steady drumbeat of media attention throughout 2018 and 2019.

Key Message: Aflac believes children need more than medicine to cope with cancer.

Target Audience: Healthcare providers and medical community, advocacy groups, childhood cancer associations and patients, employees and the general public.

Additional assets: Video, events and even duck-shaped searchlights over cities nationwide.

The PR plan: Put children, the duck and its inventors at the center, then engage experts for credibility and reach.

My Special Aflac Duck quacks for itself. Its innovative technology, thoughtful child-centered design, clear connection to Aflac’s brand, and commitment to donate ducks made My Special Aflac Duck newsworthy. So, PR focused on building the robot’s credibility as a tool used during cancer treatments – not a toy.

To spotlight patent-pending technology, we started at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show, winning awards including Tech for a Better World.

A strategic, year-long PR campaign built nationwide momentum:

- Conducted demos for media, pediatric cancer experts, issue influencers;

- Commissioned a medical impact study at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta;

- Created a short film demonstrating My Special Aflac Duck’s impact on children;

- Presented at health, technology and CSR conferences – e.g., the Association of Child Life Professionals Conference, Social Innovation Summit, WSJ Future of Everything; and

- Partnered with Children’s Oncology Group, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, etc. to amplify reach.

Media outputs:

- 2.5 billion media impressions;

- 794 earned stories;

- 27 awards, including 2018 Time Magazine Best Invention.

Target audience:

- 3,100+ ducks ordered; 143 hospitals covering 88% of U.S.

Medical impact:

- 69% children reported reduced stress.

- 82% parents recommend: “[It]...made him feel he had a buddy going through the same thing...As a parent, that’s invaluable.”

Business outcomes:

- 14% national awareness of My Special Aflac Duck; propensity to buy products up 11%.

- Corresponding 3.2% sales lift to $1.6 billion.

- In-house survey revealed 86% of employees are proud Aflac is a caring company.