ING Re-Brands All Mexico Retail Operations Under the Name ING Comercial America
ING Launches Consumer Ad Campaign to Begin Establishing Strong Brand
PRNewswire
MEXICO CITY
Oct 18, 2001
ING, which is one of the largest financial services organizations in Mexico, today announced that it is re- branding all of its retail operations in Mexico, including Seguros Comercial America (SCA) and Afore Bital, under the name ING Comercial America. The organization's new name combines the brand equity of ING and SCA, which ING acquired in June 2001, to form a unified ING brand. The re-branding is also symbolic of ING's intention to pioneer a new kind of financial services company for Mexican consumers. ING Comercial America, is part of Amsterdam- based ING Group (NYSE: ING), one of the largest integrated financial services organizations in the world.
"ING's brand campaign reflects the company's vision for Mexico -- a customer-focused organization that creates a superior value proposition for today's consumers," said Glenn Hilliard, chairman and chief executive officer of ING Americas, who has responsibility for ING's operations in North America and South America. "Innovative products, responsive customer service, and flexible distribution are at the heart of our business model. With well- established insurance lines of business, we are turning our product development expertise to the quickly developing wealth accumulation market. We want to lead the industry in that market segment and by organizing our capabilities under one strong brand, we are positioned to clearly address consumers' needs."
As part of the re-branding effort, ING is launching a major consumer advertising campaign designed to begin establishing the new brand. This is one of the first consumer advertising campaigns ING has ever conducted in Mexico, which is one of the company's key markets worldwide.
ING's advertising campaign, which breaks today and runs through December 2001, targets the middle- and upper-income consumer markets through a series of high profile print advertisements in national and regional business and consumer newspapers and magazines, as well as 40-second broadcast commercials on network television programs, news programs and special events.
"Re-branding ING's operations is central to becoming an integrated financial services organization," said Yves Brouillette, general manager and chief executive officer of ING Comercial America. "We offer multiple products and want to maximize the synergies that exist between our product lines and distribution channels. Marketing ING under multiple names would confuse consumers and limit the effectiveness of our cross-selling strategy. With a unified brand presence, we're able to eliminate any risk of confusion, plus preserve the strong brand equity of both SCA and ING."
When ING is marketing specific products, it will use variations of the ING Comercial America brand name. For instance, it will use ING Comercial America -- Seguros, for insurance products; and ING Comercial America - - Afore, for Afore products. ING's institutional operations, ING Barings and ING Investment Management, are unaffected by the re-branding.
"Our research clearly indicates that consumers are looking for a financial services company that acts and feels like a partner, rather than a distant acquaintance," Brouillette said. "Risk protection, wealth accumulation and management, and other financial issues are at the forefront of consumers' minds today. We want them to know that ING Comercial America has solutions for their financial uncertainties."
The primary objectives for ING's advertising campaign are to establish awareness of ING as an integrated financial services company, and to educate consumers about the international scope and financial strength of ING.
ING's campaign includes three different broadcast commercials and three different print advertisements. The advertisements use a variety of creative treatments to communicate to its target markets that ING is a guardian of their overall financial well being, an international financial powerhouse with over 60 million clients around the globe, and a company focused on helping consumers reach their financial goals.
The ad campaign was created by Leo Burnett in Mexico City, one of the largest advertising agencies in the world. Leo Burnett Worldwide includes 93 full-service agencies in 83 markets, plus specialist capabilities in direct, database and interactive marketing, sales promotion, and public relations.
ING announced on June 22, 2001 that it had closed its acquisition of controlling interest of SCA, the largest insurance company in Mexico.
ING Americas comprises integrated financial services operations in North America and South America with business operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile. ING Americas offers a comprehensive array of products and services, including life, health and property & casualty insurance; fixed and variable annuities; reinsurance; guaranteed investment contracts and other institutional investment advisory services; defined contribution plans; and mutual funds. To date, ING Americas and its affiliates have $166 billion in assets under management. ING Americas' parent company, Amsterdam-based ING Group, is one of the largest integrated financial services organizations in the world with $485 billion of assets under management.
SOURCE: ING Americas
Contact: Dana E. Ripley of ING Americas, +1-770-980-3317, or cellular,
+1-404-202-6679
Website: http://www.ing-usa.com/