• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, April 3, 2008

NBC Universal said it has signed a multifaceted deal with Liberty Mutual--not typically a large broadcast advertiser--that involves made-for-TV movies and the coming Beijing Olympics.

The insurance company will back a two-hour movie that could lead to a series called "Kings," plus another film slated for a run first on NBC and later on USA during the coming broadcast season.

Liberty Mutual will use the films as a platform for its "Responsibility Project" effort. Magna Global Entertainment worked with agency Hill Holliday on the movie component.

Other NBC assets that will serve as a platform for LM include the Olympics and coverage of the presidential election, along with some digital properties.

The announcement came the day NBCU unveiled its schedule for the next year.

LM has been running ads that appear to be aimed at counteracting frustrations with insurance companies. They apparently try to link everyday people doing good deeds with what insurance companies do themselves, perhaps under the radar.

One spot, for example, shows a handicapped woman getting a ride to the polls to vote. The voiceover in the spots says: "Every day, millions of people choose to do the right thing ... There's an insurance company that does that, too ... Responsibility. What's Your Policy?"

"Kings" focuses on a young soldier who saves a king's son, which leads to peace. NBCU says it "resonates perfectly with the theme of the (LM) initiative."

NBCU ad sales head Mike Pilot said the deal is an "example of what can be accomplished when we work with a client earlier in the creative process to develop a strong understanding of their marketing objectives and match them with the right creative opportunities."

LM executive Steve Sullivan said that the company "wants to create a deeper relationship with our consumers by creating a long-term emotional connection to our brand."