• by Tanya Gazdik , August 9, 2010

Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. is launching a new campaign with a creative twist -- no actors and no voiceover.

The two TV spots feature animation and an original orchestral score. Instead of being spoken, the copy is part of the animation that shows the building of a pillar, which eventually turns into the company's logo. A new tagline is featured: "A Foundation for Life."

The campaign -- which includes print and online -- focuses on how permanent life insurance is the foundation of a good financial plan, says Conrad York, vice president of marketing at Milwaukee-based Northwestern Mutual. The product is played up as a recession-proof financial asset that does not fluctuate based on market volatility.

"This campaign focuses on the ways a solid foundation can help you achieve your goals regardless of what the economy brings," York tells Marketing Daily. "In the past, we've focused on the strength and consistency of the company at large" while this effort highlights a specific product.

Created by Minneapolis-based Olson, the TV spots previewed during the U.S. Senior Open on July 31, as a makegood media placement from NBC. It officially debuts during the PGA Championship on TNT in August. The target is both existing and potential clients and policy owners who are interested in long-term opportunities.

Print, including a Wall Street Journal ad, breaks in September. Online ads will appear on Forbes.com in September with print ads in the October and November issues of Forbes in customized editorial gatefolds. The campaign also includes online and a new "Life Stories" application on Northwestern Mutual's Facebook page that recounts policy owner stories through words and video.

The TV campaign will also run during the 2010-11 football season, including college football games on network TV, on NBC during Notre Dame home games and on ABC during the conference championships.

The script for one spot includes: "Let's look beyond economic uncertainty. And embrace long-term predictability. Start by building a better financial future with an asset that never stops growing. Roller-coaster markets? Keep your plan on track. Opportunities? Have the flexibility to act on them. That's the power of Permanent Life Insurance from Northwestern Mutual. It's protection along with cash value -- guaranteed to grow over time. All from the only company in the industry that has paid more than $60 billion in dividends over the last 25 years."

The second spot includes: "Time to recapture your feeling of financial invincibility. Time to feel good about the econoME. Start with an asset that never stops growing. An asset that is worry-proof whim-proof recession-proof. An asset that will forever be there for you and your family. That's the security of Permanent Life Insurance from Northwestern Mutual. It's protection along with cash value -- guaranteed to grow over time. All from a company that has always received the best possible financial strength ratings."