FINANCE & INSURANCE

CASE STUDY

Finding the Right Tone During Market Uncertainty

The Hartford came to us as they were gearing up for the company’s bicentennial. Long regarded as a reputable and established leader in the insurance sector, they planned to unveil a new brand positioning, look, and feel as they celebrated 200 years in 2010.  However, the timing of the research coincided with the 2008 financial crisis and growing consumer uncertainty of large financial services and insurance institutions — many of which were collapsing during the credit crisis. To navigate these events, Edge worked together with The Hartford and their partner branding agency to truly understand the consumer mindset during these uncertain times.

• Edge conducted a large-scale brand tracking survey among 19 consumer and small business audiences to measure brand health and understand the brand qualities that audiences value in an insurance company.
• The research showed that The Hartford brand was well-positioned to weather the financial crisis by leveraging its reputation as an old-line established insurance company in business for 200 years.
• When we conducted the brand tracking survey a year later, as the economy showed early signs of recovery and investors were regaining confidence, the research supported a re-positioning based on customer-focused, empathetic messages evoking trust, understanding, and higher-level customer service.
• The Hartford’s partner branding agency used our research to update the company logo for the bicentennial and to inform brand and messaging components during this tumultuous time.
• We continue to annually track The Hartford’s overall brand health measures, as well as keep a pulse on many more refined indicators of the company’s performance and perceptions across all audiences.