CHALLENGE

USAIG commands an enviable reputation as one of the undisputed leaders in aviation insurance. Its customers praise its excellent claims service and say they feel as though they have a personal relationship with the company, not merely a business arrangement. You can’t buy or replicate the word-of-mouth promotion that kind of customer loyalty generates. USAIG was the nation’s first aviation-exclusive insurance company when it was founded in 1928 by two visionary pilots, and it has remained rightly proud of its history. But the company had been coasting on its reputation and history for many years, relying almost entirely on word-of-mouth. It didn’t advertise its expertise. Its brand lacked cohesion and didn’t effectively communicate its aviation focus. Its website was tired and difficult to navigate. Its copy voice was stiff, formal and inconsistent. And to top it off, the company’s very identity was confused and confusing – United States Aviation Underwriters is the management company for USAIG, which is a pool of insurance companies that actually issues the policies. See what we mean?

INSIGHT

The company needed to settle on a single identity to present to the public. It needed a brand refresh, a new brand voice, a revamped website. Surveys of customers, independent insurance brokers and employees confirmed the company’s solid reputation for excellent claims service and a relationship-based approach to doing business. But any changes had to acknowledge and honor the company’s long history. It also had to introduce the company to a broader audience without alienating its loyal constituents.

SOLUTION

We worked closely with USAIG’s progressive leaders, who were eager for change and active participants in the process. All quickly agreed that USAIG has been the more public face and would become the focus of the new brand. USAU does not go away, but slips into the background. The company’s new brand does not represent a fundamental shift in its approach, values or mission. Rather, it’s a celebration of who it really is. It gives the company new, effective tools to communicate that it built its business with personal relationships and by leading the industry in claims service. The new brand includes a direct, friendly copy tone; a website that’s at once more useful and easier to navigate; a striking, memorable color palette; and a blend of aspirational and warm, inviting imagery.

RESULT

USAIG remains positioned as an industry leader, one with a long, proud history. A solid performer that delivers excellent service and will be there if disaster strikes. But now its brand also acknowledges its exclusive focus on aviation, and clearly communicates that this is a friendly, expert, progressive and innovative company that will grow with and stay out front of the dynamic, constantly changing aviation industry.