Turning Familiarity Into Action: How Theo Rebuilt Aflac’s Funnel Around Products
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CLIENT
Aflac
Visit site
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TIMELINE
1 Year
Aflac is a Fortune 500 company and leader in the voluntary/supplemental insurance category.
For over 60 years, Aflac has focused on providing customers with additional insurance options that pay cash benefits directly to the individual. Aflac's business model focuses on four key revenue-generating segments: individuals, business, agents and brokers.
People know the Duck, not everyone knew what Aflac actually provided.
Despite decades of fame thanks to the Aflac Duck, few consumers actually understood Aflac’s range of insurance products. Many mistook its signature Accident Insurance for auto coverage. When Theo began working with Aflac in 2016, the brand had strong awareness through TV, radio, and sponsorships—but its digital lower funnel told a different story. It primarily targeted people already searching for Aflac, rather than those seeking the types of insurance products Aflac offered.
How can we provide a better experience to users searching for "aflac"?
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SOLUTIONS
We shifted Aflac's digital strategy from brand-dependent bottom-funnel tactics to product-first prospecting.
Which is to say: we stopped assuming everyone who knew the Duck understood what the Duck was selling.
Product-First Paid Search
Rebuilt campaigns around product keywords ("dental insurance," "short-term disability") rather than brand terms
Created dedicated landing pages for each product line
Intercepted consumers at the moment they're actually trying to solve a problem
Audience Segmentation via Machine Learning
Identified high-propensity prospects based on browsing behavior and similar audience modeling
Found people who looked like they might actually buy insurance, as opposed to people who just thought the Duck was funny
Product-Centric Creative & Remarketing
Developed messaging that clearly explained what each product covered and who it served
Retargeted users with tailored messages about the specific products they viewed
UX & Site Wayfinding Overhaul
Launched dedicated prospecting landing pages optimized for conversion
Refined self-selection paths for business vs. consumer audiences
A/B tested CTAs, headlines, and layouts to create a frictionless journey
Result: 99% of leads converting through the correct form for their segment
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RESULTS
From Visibility to Velocity
Transforming Aflac’s brand recognition into a high-performing direct response engine.
We saw results almost immediately. Phase one drove a 194% increase in B2C leads while lowering CPA and supporting increased media budgets — all without sacrificing lead quality. Over the next six months, we focused on refining qualification, improving segmentation, and delivering more relevant ad and site experiences. The outcome: a product-first acquisition funnel that stood on its own — improving performance for Duck-driven search while unlocking incremental growth through smarter prospecting of Aflac products.
194%
Increase in Consumer Leads
257%
Increase in B2B Sales
31%
Increase in eCommerce Sales
Theo helped us rethink everything — from how we talk about our products to how we find the right people to talk to. They didn’t just chase efficiency; they built a smarter, more sustainable way to grow. For the first time, we saw our digital campaigns driving real business outcomes — not just brand lift. It was a turning point for us.
Robert Craver
Marketing Manager
