AXA Equitable Makes the Most of Modern Media

After a few generic questions, the interviewer asks, "Do you see more people working later in life?" The interviewee pauses with dry incredulity and answers, "I see more people telling me they're working until they drop dead."

New York-based AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company continues to demonstrate both its conviction that life insurance and related products are sold not bought and that every new media platform that emerges presents and opportunity to do so.

Visitors to AXA-Equitable.com are greeted by a rich-media message of "resilience, spirit and optimism" from personable chairman and CEO Kip Condron. This week, AXA Equitable launched the first in a series of what it calls "Retirement Reality Show."

Like AXA Equitable's clever "800lb Gorilla" commercials, the Retirement Reality Show plays on the theme of denial about one's financial realities that leads to inadequate retirement planning.

The series debut begins in Wall Street, where a pleasantly voiced narrator makes the connection between the fortunes of big financial companies to the main street investor. Interviewees share candid comments about the imprecision or just plain negligence of their retirement planning. The show then moves to another locale associated with "reality TV": the Jersey Shore.

The production quality of the videos leaves something to be desired, and AXA Equitable might consider investing in the means to create a product that is more in keeping with its distinguished brand, while at the same time not being too slick. However, the idea is a great one, both the narrator and interviewer do a fine job, and the content itself is compelling.

My favorite part is the interview with the guy at the Jersey Shore, a former pipe fitter from Northern New Jersey with a part time job as a parking lot attendant. After a few generic questions, the interviewer asks, "Do you see more people working later in life?" The interviewee pauses with dry incredulity and answers, "I see more people telling me they're working until they drop dead."

Anthony O'Donnell has covered technology in the insurance industry since 2000, when he joined the editorial staff of Insurance & Technology. As an editor and reporter for I&T and the InformationWeek Financial Services of TechWeb he has written on all areas of information ... View Full Bio