New Ads Provide Glimpse Into Unique Friendship Between Aflac Duck and Carl Edwards
February 11 2009 - 9:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
NASCAR-themed Television Commercials Demonstrate Deepening
Relationship Between Edwards and Primary Sponsor with Humor
COLUMBUS, Ga., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac is kicking off its
first year as primary sponsor of Carl Edwards and the No. 99 Ford
Fusion in a big way with the launch of its latest television spots,
"Monster Tires" and "Joyride." The 15-second commercials, slated to
air during the national broadcast of the Feb. 15 Daytona 500 at
Daytona International Speedway, reveal the competitive but friendly
relationship growing between Edwards and Aflac's iconic Duck.
"These latest commercials are another example of Aflac's commitment
to the sport of NASCAR, Roush Racing and our driver Carl Edwards,"
said Paul Amos, COO of Aflac. "It seems Carl and the Aflac Duck
have formed a special bond together which we hope will excite fans
and lead to a successful 2009 season." The first spot, "Monster
Tires," opens with the Aflac Duck furiously pumping up the tires on
the No. 99 car to monstrous proportions. A confused Edwards enters
and questions the Duck's actions. He soon understands as the spot
ends with Edwards and the Duck cruising through traffic-filled
streets raised above a crowd of screaming fans, bouncing on the No.
99 car's oversized tires. The "Joyride" spot opens with Edwards
running into the Aflac Racing garage, only to find his car missing.
He realizes that it's been stolen by his fowl friend after seeing
flaming tire marks leading outside the garage and a feather that
was left behind. It is then revealed that the Aflac Duck has taken
the car on a joyride on a windy mountain road, with a female
companion in the passenger seat. The car reaches top speed as the
pair ride away into the sunset laughing. With the Daytona 500,
Aflac begins its three-year agreement as primary sponsor of Edwards
and the No. 99 Ford Fusion. Since 2007, Aflac has been NASCAR's
Official Supplemental Insurance Partner. These spots follow the
previous Aflac commercial "Feathers," which incorporated the
Company's 2007 NASCAR sponsorship into its popular Aflac Duck
campaign. The spot elaborates on the budding relationship between
the Aflac Duck and Edwards. Edwards has become known as one
NASCAR's most voracious competitors, moving his way up from the
Craftsman Truck Series to NASCAR's elite Sprint Cup series and
winning a Busch Series Championship. In his career, Edwards has
accumulated two NASCAR-sanctioned track championships, three Rookie
of the Year honors, and 79 feature wins while racing on both dirt
and pavement tracks. "Monster Tires" and "Joyride" are the second
and third Aflac commercials featuring Carl Edwards and the Aflac
Duck. Beginning on Feb. 15, the spots will run on major networks
and cable channels such as ABC, CBS, NBC, A&E, CNBC and
Discovery. The spots, Aflac Racing desktop wallpaper and a cell
phone ring tone are available for download on the new and improved
aflacracing.com. About Aflac: For more than 50 years, Aflac
products have given policyholders the opportunity to direct cash
where it is needed most when a life-interrupting medical event
causes financial challenges. Aflac is the number one provider of
guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States and the number
one insurance company in terms of individual insurance policies in
force in Japan. Our insurance products provide protection to more
than 40 million people worldwide. Aflac has been included in
Fortune magazine's list of America's Most Admired Companies for
seven years and in Fortune magazine's list of the 100 Best
Companies to Work For in America for eleven consecutive years.
Aflac has been recognized three times by both Fortune magazine's
list of the Top 50 Employers for Minorities and Working Mother
magazine's list of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers and
has also been included in Ethisphere magazine's list of the World's
Most Ethical Companies for two consecutive years. Aflac
Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit
aflac.com. About The Kaplan Thaler Group: The Kaplan Thaler Group
http://www.kaplanthaler.com/ has been ranked by industry
publications as the one of the fastest-growing advertising agencies
in the U.S. and is touted for its breakthrough creative and
immediate results. KTG's blue-chip client roster includes Procter
& Gamble's Dawn and Swiffer, Aflac Incorporated, Champion,
Continental Airlines, Lunesta, Outback Steakhouse, Pfizer, Trojan,
US Bank and Wyeth (Centrum and Caltrate). KTG is part of the
Publicis Groupe, one of the world's largest communications holding
companies. About Roush Fenway Racing: Roush Fenway Racing is
NASCAR's largest team operating nine motorsports teams. Five in the
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with drivers Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray,
Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and David Ragan; three in the Nationwide
Series with Kenseth, Biffle, Edwards, McMurray, Ragan, Erik
Darnell, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and Colin Braun; and one in the
Camping World Truck Series with Braun. For more information on any
of the Roush Fenway Racing teams, log onto
http://www.roushfenway.com/. For sponsorship inquiries please
contact Robin Johnson at 704.720.4645. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041202/CLTH019LOGO ) Tim
Turner Kristen Stone Aflac Incorporated Edelman 706.243.5594
404.832.6778
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041202/CLTH019LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Aflac CONTACT: Tim Turner,
Aflac Incorporated, +1-706-243-5594, ; Kristen Stone, Edelman,
+1-404-832-6778, , for Aflac Web Site: http://www.aflac.com/
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