My Special Aflac Duck
CHALLENGE
To enhance and elevate Aflac’s long-term support of pediatric cancer, expanding their reach from the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center in Atlanta to countries across the nation. Aflac executives wanted to accelerate a movement to reach the nearly 16,000 U.S. children newly-diagnosed with cancer annually.
INSIGHT
Research revealed that social and emotional support is a critical and often overlooked need for kids who face treatment that lasts, on average, 1,000 days. To address this challenge, CCOP teamed with Aflac and R&D workshop Sproutel to develop My Special Aflac Duck, a social robot and comforting companion that will be given to each of the 15,000 newly-diagnosed cancer patients in the U.S each year – at no cost to families or hospitals. My Special Aflac Duck marks a bold move to infuse a beloved corporate mascot with a true social purpose, positioning Aflac to carry the banner of the under-resourced pediatric cancer cause. And most important, providing comfort to children during critical cancer treatments.
IMPACT
6,000+ children across the U.S. have a My Special Aflac Duck; beginning distribution in Japan
3.2% increase in year-end sales (2018), correlating with a 3-point rise in Reputation Institute RepTrak score
14% awareness of My Special Aflac Duck in the U.S. without advertising
3-point increase in Aflac's Reputation Institute Pulse Scores
2.5 billion media impressions
93% of parents would recommend MSAD to other parents of children with cancer
69% of child cancer patients said MSAD reduced their stress
4 patents pending
"...a wonderful demonstration that businesses can take the very face of a brand and reinvent it into something that has a larger purpose."
"Aflac's toy robot for kids facing cancer is the smartest toy of all."
"...this very touchable, huggable reimagining of the Aflac duck was conceived to help connect the brand to consumers on a deeper, more emotional level in a wholly authentic way, a critical factor for success in today’s marketplace."
"Takes Aflac's heart to kids with cancer."