• by March 18, 2009

 

Today, Farmers Insurance is launching a new campaign of specially produced informational spots over V-me, the two-year-old, public TV-backed Spanish-language TV network.

Called "Preguntale a Farmers" ("Ask Farmers"), the campaign initially consists of two :30 spots produced by V-me itself for airing during two series: the nightly news show "V-me Noticias" and the weekly "Paginas: The New York Times," which is produced in partnership with the newspaper. Farmers is also scheduled to receive sponsorship billboards.

The spots show Hispanic consumers looking for--and getting--answers about insurance companies, agents and types of coverage. V-me's PBS-type environment makes it a "credible service to provide these educational vignettes," says Luis Sahagun, Farmers' advertising manager for diversity markets.

Sahagun cited research showing that "Spanish-preferred consumers are hungry for informational material on insurance." In this case, those consumers not only prefer Spanish over English, but are 18 to 29 years of age, have asset growth possibility, and are looking for quality insurance, according to Sahagun. The goal is to have them become "long-term partners."

The vignette spots join what Sahagun terms Farmers' broad portfolio of Spanish-language advertising, which also includes its normal 30-second spots on V-Me, (although, due to PBS-type rules, minus a closing wherein Farmers spokesman Edward James Olmos' gives out a phone number to "call now").

Farmers' multicultural, Miami-based agency Accent Marketing was "integrally involved" in developing the new spots, Sahagun added, and helped to provide talent and direction.

Frank Donaldson, senior vice president of sales at V-me, said that V-me has previously produced commercials for such other sponsors as Sears, Ford and Verizon Wireless.

The Farmers campaign is scheduled to run through the second quarter.