TIAA-CREF is making a significant change in its advertising that plays up its status as a nonprofit organization by focusing on a new Web site, powerof.org. The change comes after a focus group
told the financial services company they thought the non-profit status meant TIAA-CREF would be more focused on their needs, and that it made them unique compared to the competition.
The arrival of the campaign, with an annual budget estimated at $50 million, is indicative of a tricky balancing act that is faced by many marketers -- particularly those competing in crowded
categories like financial services.
"Think .org-onimically," the headline of a print ad urges. "How much more objective can you get than .o-r-g?" another ad inquires. A third ad
declares that ".org" represents "three of the most trusted letters on the Internet." In a television commercial, an announcer declares: "We are a financial services dot-org, not a dot-com. For nearly
90 years, our mission has been to put the heart of a nonprofit to work for those who serve the greater good."
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