Sue Bird Teams up with Symetra Life Insurance Company to Highlight the Power of Great Teammates

Jul. 28, 2023

The uncertainty of the last few years continues to have an effect on consumers, with anxiety and fear leading to decision paralysis and inaction. Minimizing these emotions involves increasing trust, predictability and reducing risk. Enter...brands that offer the antidote, helping make the future feel a little less uncertain. 

As a way to engage more Gen-Xers who feel increased pressure to protect their families and future plan, Symetra (best known for offering retirement plans, employee benefits and life insurance products) tapped long-time creative partner and agency of record, Copacino Fujikado, to develop a new national campaign that draws the parallel to Symetra as "your teammate for whatever lies ahead."

Launching today, "Teammates" spotlights several real-life scenarios where teammates play a pivotal role - from a husband and wife waiting on test results to a near-accident to more traditional sports scenarios. And at the center of these stories is Sue Bird the GOAT (Greatest Of All Teammates) lending her voice as narrator and playing a starring role as a coach of aspiring young basketball players. See here for the key :60 spot: Breathe. 

Copacino Fujikado tapped talented director, Taimi Arvidson, and long-term production partner, Farm League, to help bring this work to life. The campaign features 60- and 30-second executions that will air nationally through October on ESPN, including sponsorships around women’s sports. Additionally, the campaign will run in six major metro markets including Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles, appearing on popular Connected TV and streaming platforms like Roku, Pluto TV, Hulu and YouTube. A supporting social media campaign will also feature content from the ads.

See below for quotes from Symetra's CMO and one of the lead creatives on this project, along with team credits. Any interest in covering? Let me know if you have any questions.

Trinity Parker, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Symetra said: 

"Our Teammates campaign has always had a simple message: Like the best teammates, Symetra is there for you. Whatever your stage of life, we have your back with retirement, benefits and life insurance products that help you feel more confident and secure no matter what the future holds. We want to be consistent about that message in a way that reflects that kind of company we are: We are inclusive, and we care about our customers. As someone who embodies what being a great teammate is all about, we’re thrilled to have Sue Bird help us amplify that message once again in our new advertising."

 

When asked about the ideation process behind the new work, Lianne Onart, Group Creative Director at Copacino Fujikado remarked:

"I found this amazing video of a coach and Special Olympics weightlifter who had such an incredible friendship. Both were inspired by each other to achieve their very best and it made me think about other great teammates in life teachers, parents, family all of those people who inspire and support. From there, the campaign development was really about finding more of those relatable human moments where great teammates can really make a difference."