From “The Park Bench” to Best in Show: Q&A with Aflac’s Jared Martin
It's not every day that an in-house agency has the opportunity to create a film premiering at Sundance, yet that is exactly where The Aflac Studio found themselves in 2020. Over the next several years, Aflac would enlist a team of diverse creators to produce The Park Bench, a film that tells the story of health disparities and unique health care challenges that exist in disparate communities and be recognized as ANA's Best in Show recipient at the 2023 In-House Excellence Awards.
Aflac's first foray into film was designed to demonstrate the brand's purpose and create an emotional connection with consumers beyond the traditional media landscape. Between crafting the film, promoting it, and amplifying it on multiple channels, The Park Bench shows the power of great collaboration and the ability of in-house agencies to deliver for their brands in creative and strategically minded ways.
I sat down with Jared Martin, director of The Aflac Studio, as he prepares a behind-the-scenes look at The Park Bench at the 2024 ANA In-House Agency Conference, taking place from May 14 to16 in Carlsbad, California. Here, Jared talks about the inspiration behind his team's award-winning film, the importance of collaborating with external partners, and how to inspire creatives whether they are producing an animated film or more traditional marketing materials.
Thank you for your time today, Jared. Can you start by telling us how you chose a short film as the format to tell this powerful story, as opposed to a more traditional marketing campaign?
It's no secret that the challenges of the pandemic highlighted the critical need for care. In 2020, Aflac's chief marketing officer reached out, inquiring about an animated film experience. That single text sparked a larger discussion — and ultimately the decision — to create an emotive film. The Park Bench weaves the narrative of a typical family navigating a medical crisis, emphasizing the impact of care in a way that viewers of all ages can understand.
Care has always been at the center of everything Aflac does. This animated film was another expression of Aflac's commitment to prioritizing wellness, emphasizing recovery over financial concerns.
We used the Aflac Duck as a symbol of hope and support during a medical event, authentically connecting it to something close to the company's mission: sickle cell disease. This condition is often overlooked, but significantly affects the African American community nationwide. The Park Bench drove awareness around the impact of a medical event while igniting conversations and fostering understanding about sickle cell disease in unique ways.
By harnessing the collective talents of individuals outside our traditional scope, including the animation prowess of Carl Reed and Lion Forge Animation, the creative direction of Academy Award-nominated Rob Edwards, and the sound supervision of the iconic Nas, we crafted a masterpiece reflecting Aflac's dedication to making a meaningful impact on the lives of those we serve, one story, one film and one moment of care at a time.
To tell a story about sickle cell disease, it was important to partner with creators of the communities where that disease is prevalent. How did your external partners impact The Park Bench? What is your advice to other in-house agencies on finding the right external collaborators for their work?
The XPA Agency played a key role in shaping the success of The Park Bench, demonstrating a genuine commitment to teamwork by constantly engaging with our in-house team. This collaborative approach ensured alignment with the project's objectives, particularly in extending Aflac's legacy in marketing diversity and raising awareness about the impact of a health event on families. It also empowered the external agency to focus on securing top-tier talent, knowing marketing and production were expertly managed internally on our end. This resulted in a streamlined process, reduced costs, and amplified effectiveness, ultimately contributing to the project's success.
My advice to other in-house agencies seeking external partners is to clearly define roles from the start. By establishing transparent expectations and responsibilities, agencies can ensure smoother collaboration and minimize potential conflicts. It's essential to get collaborators who not only understand their own role, but also value and respect the contributions of the in-house agency. Mutual understanding and respect lay the foundation for a successful partnership, enabling agencies to leverage each other's strengths and expertise effectively, driving better outcomes for all involved.
Let's take a closer look at your in-house team. At the ANA, we believe that in-house agencies are thriving because of their proximity to other business units. It allows internal teams to create work that is not only on-brand, but also able to drive tangible business results. How did your studio's proximity to other business units at Aflac help you gather the insights you needed to make The Park Bench a vehicle for business growth?
The closeness of our in-house agency to other business units at Aflac proved invaluable in gathering the insights necessary for The Park Bench. With Aflac's 30-year commitment supporting childhood cancer and blood disorders research and treatment, including sickle cell disease, our team had direct access to the expertise of the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. This center has the largest pediatric sickle cell disease program in the country, providing care for over 2,000 children and young adults.
Through this collaboration, we gained firsthand knowledge and vital insights into the medical challenges faced by Americans. Additionally, our internal business team at Aflac offered valuable perspectives on the potential financial gap left where health insurance ends and medical bills begin.
Leveraging these insights, we developed a film that authentically portrays the emotional journey of a family confronting a medical crisis while shedding light on the financial burdens they may encounter. This understanding helped us create a compelling narrative that resonates with audiences on multiple levels, showing how Aflac helps with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, so our policyholders can take care of what matters – their recovery.
The Park Bench must have been such an exciting project for your creative team that had them eager to come to work every day. It's not common that an in-house team has the chance to produce an animated short film for Sundance. What is your advice to fellow in-house studio leaders who want to attract creative talent to come work for you, even if you don't have an award-winning short film in the works? How do you keep creatives inspired when the work is more traditional marketing campaign work?
To attract creative talent, even without a cutting-edge project in the works, and to keep creatives inspired during more traditional campaign work, it's essential to maintain a culture of endless possibilities and excitement. Here are my three points for in-house leaders to keep in mind:
1. Embrace the Unexpected: Our team thrives on unexpected opportunities. Whether it's a traditional campaign or something entirely new, we approach it with the same excitement and willingness to dive in headfirst.
2. Cultivate an Energizing Environment: Despite being part of a large company, our studio buzzes with the energy of a startup. This fosters an atmosphere where creativity flourishes, and every team member feels empowered to contribute their ideas, regardless of their role.
3. Constantly Pursue Innovation: Even after completing a successful project like The Park Bench, we continued setting our sights on the next challenge. This relentless pursuit ensures that our creatives always feel like they're on the ground floor of something remarkable, with opportunities continually on the horizon for them to jump into.
This type of environment helps our in-house agency, the Aflac Studio, attract top creative talent and keeps the current team motivated and engaged. Who wouldn't want to be part of a team where anything can happen?! Finally, what are you most looking forward to at the 2024 In-House Agency Conference?
I'm excited about catching up with everyone at this year's conference! Last year was really insightful — I gained a lot of knowledge and connected with some fantastic people. I'm looking forward to continuing those conversations and exploring how we can tackle our shared challenges together. It's always motivating to hear about others' experiences, both the successes and the setbacks.
Thank you for your time, Jared! We look forward to seeing you at the 2024 ANA In-House Agency Conference!
The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the ANA or imply endorsement from the ANA.
Peter Kenigsberg is a director of brand & media at the Association of National Advertisers. In his role at the ANA, Peter supports the marketing organization area, which includes in-house agency, marketing procurement, production management, agency relationship management, and marketing operations. Prior to joining the ANA, Peter was an account supervisor at CDM New York, acting as the agency of record for two of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies. Peter has an M.B.A. in Marketing and a B.A. double major in pre-law and English.