The insurance carrier’s trademark “animatronic” primate will star in four new TV commercials promoting the importance of saving for retirement. The 15-second spots will run on MSNBC, CNBC, Bloomberg, and CNN through the end of this month.
The ads tout AXA’s variable annuities and are targeted at registered investment advisers and people nearing retirement. Similar ads, in print and online, will run in insurance trade media.
In one ad, the gorilla says, "Ready to retire? Stop ignoring me. A variable annuity from AXA Equitable can give you guaranteed income for life with the potential for equity growth. But what do I know? I'm just the 800- pound gorilla in the room."
In that same ad, text appears on the screen so that brokers and advisers who are watching on muted TVs will get the message. The text reads: "A variable annuity from AXA Equitable. Guaranteed income for life. Potential for equity growth. Talk to your financial adviser today."
By clicking on the animated gorilla, registered investment advisors will be taken to www.axadistributors.com/toolkit , where they can download educational materials. The campaign, created by Merkley + Partners, features the mechanical gorilla that appeared in the 1999 film, "Instinct."
