Marketing Like the Old Spice Man

But then the Old Spice marketing team came up with something even more genius. Using the combined power of Twitter and YouTube, they allowed the Old Spice Man to communicate directly with his fans/consumers. People could post a question to his Twitter account, and he would answer it in his typical fashion via a personalized (albeit short) YouTube video.

The campaign was a huge success. Even people who had never purchased an Old Spice product in their life were talking about the brand, tweeting about it, posting about the company. Whether you think hes hilarious or you dont really understand his brand of humor, you have to admit the Old Spice Man is on to something.

What if you used his brand of marketing in your insurance practice? YouTube and Twitter are both 100 percent free to join. If you dont have a camera built-in to your computer, you can purchase a Web cam for less than $20 or even borrow one from your local library. Invite people to submit questions to you via tweet, email, or Facebook, and answer them on YouTube to create a personal connection. You can show everyone how knowledgeable you are, and the marketing is totally free.

Is something like this actually possible in the insurance world? Maybe. With FINRAs rules on social marketing, its difficult to say what is and isnt allowed. And of course, if you had a client or prospect ask a sensitive question, you wouldnt want to share their personal information via a public YouTube video. But the point is, the insurance industry needs to start stepping out of its box and thinking up new ways of communicating with its consumers. It needs to start using these amazing new marketing tools to reach out to the younger folks, and even to engage the older ones who are more tech-savvy. Otherwise, the personal touch of the insurance agent is going to be lost on the younger generations.