Aflac

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