Symetra to Make 2 Women Sports Stars Its Spokescouple for the COVID-19 Age

Symetra is building one of the best-known two-athletic-career couples into its new advertising campaign. The Bellevue, Washington-based life insurer has picked Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird to appear in a new series of television commercials. Rapinoe plays for the OL Reign National Women's Soccer League team in Tacoma, Washington. Bird has played with the Seattle Storm, a Women's National Basketball Association team. Copacino Fujikado, an ad agency that has been making commercials for Symetra since 2004, has already produced three spots featuring the couple.

Resources

• The Sue and Megan commercial YouTube video playlist is available here.
• An article about GEHA's athletic team relationship is available here.

The first Megan and Sue spot shows Rapinoe and Bird spending extra at home, because of the COVID-19 quarantine rules. Due to the stay-at-home orders, Bird and Rapinoe shot the spots themselves, using an iPad and an iPhone, with help from the director, Symetra says. The spot delivers the message that, "You can't predict the future, but with Symetra Life Insurance Company, you can prepare for it." Symetra will begin airing the first spot Sunday, during the pre-show for and during the Remote 2020 ESPY Awards Show. The show will be hosted by Rapinoe, Bird, and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. The first spot will run in 18 markets, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and Seattle, in prime time. Symetra will also run four short versions of the ad on social media services. Trinity Parker, senior vice president for marketing, communications and public affairs at Symetra, said in a statement that Symetra believes working with Rapinoe and Bird will help the company reach a more diverse customer base than it's traditionally reached. "Our Symetra Empowers strategic vision is centered on creating a world where more people have access to financial freedom," Parker said. Symetra says that it's launching the campaign during Pride Month, and that the company recently pledged $250,000 to the GSBA Scholarship Fund, an LGBTQ+ scholarship fund. — Read MassMutual and Symetra Make Sports Sponsorship Deals, on ThinkAdvisor. — Connect with ThinkAdvisor Life/Health on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.