T HAI L IFE I NSURANCE (TLI)

4.2.1 Background of the brand

Thai Life Insurance (TLI) is the first Thai-operated life insurance company established by a group of Thai people and high-ranking officials in 1942. The goal is to provide financial security and stability for the Thai families. Today, TLI has operated for over 70 years providing life insurance, nonlife Insurance, health insurance and savings for the Thai policyholders. TLI is considered the fourth largest life insurance company in Thailand.

Recently, TLI responds to the demand and request of all clients regardless of age, gender, status, or occupation by offering “Total Life Solution” package which includes a wide variety and range of life and nonlife insurance products at affordable price (Thai Life Insurance, 2010).

TLI also provides a link to website: http://haamor.com/, where information about mostly prevalent diseases in Thailand can be looked up. People can compare and find physical check-up packages according to their budgets and needs from over 2000 leading hospitals in Thailand. Moreover, TLI provides the Thai life insurance hotline which offers 24-hour emergency supports to its policyholders both domestically and worldwide. TLI also arranges “Thai Life Club” to provide enjoyable activities according to each of the client‟s interest. TLI‟s CSR‟s strategy is Giving, Caring, and Adding Value to Life, which can also be considered as the narrative of the brand. In Giving strategy, TLI launches project to emphasize the company as a “Giver” to help increase the quality of life for the people in

Slogan: “Taking care of you, always.”

Product type: high involvement Consumers‟ feedback:

-Generally transported into the ad.

-Various emotions due to personal relevance, empathy, and character identification.

-Story-brand connection is achieved.

-Positive attitude and evaluation toward the ad and the brand.

Brand: Thai Life Insurance (TLI)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqXYpZM57-4

Thai society. “Caring for Thai lives” strategy involves various projects including innovative product development and excellent services to achieve TLI‟s mission of “being more than a life insurance company”. Finally, “Adding Value to Life” strategy aims to emphasize TLI‟s commitment to increase happiness for people in the Thai society, starting with TLI‟s own people by taking positive viewpoints, increase competency, skills and professionalism. These people will later become the “Life Planners” who possess knowledge and integrity.

4.2.2 Advertising description

TLI launched a new TVC on 4 October 2012 called, “Forget me not”. The slogan of this ad is “taking care of you, always”. The ad lasts for about 3 minutes and depicts a story of an old couple who live together. The ad can be found at this URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqXYpZM57-4. Narrative of the ad can be found below.

Woman: “What is your name?”

Man: “You don’t remember me, but I remember you.

Your name is Wandee. Your husband’s name is Boonsong.

You love plants and trees, like the color blue,

wear shoes size 6.

You are easily cold, but like iced cold water.

You love spicy curries, but hate pea eggplants.

And whenever you eat, you have to listen to this song.

You love nature, and laugh easily.

You are an orderly person, who also loves cleanliness.

You’re funny, love to complain and sulk.

You also have Alzheimer’s.

We were married on 6th July,

and I still remember the promise I made to you that day, that I’ll take care of you for the rest of our lives.”

After the dance:

Woman: “Who are you?”

While tying her shoes:

Woman: “Are we taking a walk?”

Man: “Hmm.”

Woman: “Aren’t you tired?”

Man: “No.”--Thai Life Insurance, taking care of you, always.--

4.2.3 Consumer’s reactions

TLI is considered a high involvement product for the Thai online consumers. In general, consumers like the ad and have a positive attitude and evaluation toward the ad and the brand, for examples,

“I like every Thai Life’s ads. TLI never disappoints me.”

“I love all the Thai Life’s ads. Thank you for your creativity and good points to remind us from your ads.”

“It is my favorite ad! I fall in love with Thai Life Insurance!”

Consumers experience strong, various emotional reactions such as sadness, romance, appreciation, impression, gratitude and happiness. One of the reasons that make consumers experience such strong emotions is that the ad is seen as personally relevant to them. Some consumers even have a direct experience similar to the one presented in the ad, for examples,

“My wife had Alzheimer. We were married on 23 January. She passed away for 4 years now because of cancer. From then until today, I am still doing what I have promised with you. My feeling is that I am very sad. The person whom I have known, talked to and used to for a long time has gone. There is no more that I can talk to her when I wake up. She’s just gone like that. No one I can talk to like a real close friend. I think of her and I love her forever.”

“I’m married and have a son. My wife and I are not yet old. We fight but we love each other. I don’t know if one day she passes away, how can I live my life? Just thinking about it, I cry. I don’t know if I could live my life like that in the movie…”

Another reason that explains consumers‟ strong emotional reactions is due to character identification. Consumers feel emotionally attached to the characters because they feel empathized with the characters. Most consumers agree that they want somebody as depicted by the old man in the ad to take care of them when they get older. They appreciate his commitment, consistency, and reliability toward his wife. These qualities contribute to bring consumers closer to the story and are seen as relevant to the type of product presented. Thus, consumers may find it easy to establish a connection between the story presented in the ad and the brand, for examples,

“I want a husband like this, is there any?”

“I like it, it’s cute. At the end of my life, I want somebody to take care of me like this.”

“Very cute, I like a lot>< The old man is kind, remembering every detail of his wife what she likes and what she doesn’t. If I ever met a man like this in real life, it would be nice TT”

Consumers also regard TLI as the pioneer of this type of dramatized commercial or the so-called, “slice of life” ad. Some of them admit that they cry not because the ad is so dramatic, but because the ad simply makes them “feel good” afterward. Some consumers mention that they feel sad when they see the characters. They feel the pain of the old man whose wife cannot remember him, yet he still takes care of everything for her and is happy to do it for her, for examples,

“I cry but because I am so happy.”

“It must be really hurtful if somebody whom you love most cannot remember you. For them, it’s not so suffering like us who have to bear the consequences.”

“The fact that his wife cannot remember him is so hurtful…I feel sorry for the old man…”

Interestingly, there are some consumers who mention that they like the ad very much but dislike how TLI salespeople approach them in real life. Other topics that consumers discuss about the ad is the soundtrack used in one of the scenes, i.e. the dancing scene in their wedding. Consumers mention that they think the song is quite classic and very

appropriate to use in the ad with this particular plot. They also think that the characters are very professional in terms of expressing their emotions. They mention that the old couples look professional in their acts while the young couples who represent the old couple resemble realness. Some participants mention that the plot sounds familiar to a movie,

“The Notebook” which was released in 2004. However, participants do not seem to blame TLI for making the ad that is similar to a movie, they rather like the plot and appreciate the work that the creative team have put together.

In sum, consumers seem to be transported into the narrative of the ad. They have positive attitude toward the ad and the brand. They are emotionally receptive to the ad and thus react on narrative thoughts such as characters, song, dancing scene, etc. They also generate less critical thoughts and thus are less likely to counter argue with the ad.