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I wanna talk to you about an emu.

Specifically, "Limu," Liberty Mutual's weird-as-hell mascot. (And DOUG.)

My husband doesn't get why I laugh my head off every time one of their commercials comes on. Honestly, I* don't get why half the time.

The other "big guys" are go hard in their TV ads, too 💪

• Progressive: Flo and an ever-growing cast of obnoxious colleagues. A ragtag team that [hates one another but] puts in the work to protect customers.

• Allstate: Mayhem. Wry, dry humor and with a side of "oh god I hope that doesn't happen to me"

• Geico: A…gecko. Cute animal with an accent. Full stop. I guess ¯_(ツ)_/¯ 

• State Farm: Jake ("she sounds hideous") and so many football players. Pricing so good you feel like a celebrity.

Memorable ads — the characters are household names. But there's a disconnect here: Their websites and marketing communications are basically interchangeable.

Save money. Simple quotes. Even better prices if you bundle.

Blah, blah, blah, yawn.

Insurance is a commodity, yes, and pretty much everyone just wants the lowest price for the coverage they need.

The major players in the industry have to hope their Sunday football ad placement is memorable enough to make them the first choice — or that they have the best deal on any given day.

Case in point: Also, I hold three Liberty Mutual policies, and it's not because of the emu. It's because they were dirt cheap — worryingly so, actually.)

All the money in the insurance universe, and they can't invest in creating a consistent brand experience from TV ad to website to inbox to active policy. Sigh.

HOWEVER.

When I was looking for pet insurance after we adopted our kitten, Stanley (ahem, scroll down to die of cute), I discovered Lemonade.

And like their namesake drink on a summer day, they're refreshing as heck. DiSrUpToRs.

All the standard-issue promises the big guys made — but with huge personality in their copy. Instantly endearing.

They even have a chatbot, Maya, that walked me through the process of starting a quote. I wanted to be friends with her.

The website is warm, irreverent, and wildly transparent. It screams simplicity.

And it continues through their email marketing, policy communications, and even their app.

Also, hot pink branding?! I fell fast, and I fell hard.

Purchasing our pets' policies through them was a no-brainer. 🐈🐈🐈‍⬛

This is not some weird insurance sales pitch, though, %FIRSTNAME%.

A consistent (and endearing) voice can go a long way in creating brand crushes and earning customers who don't just buy — they stan, and they share.

Voice matters. Words matter. Amirite?

Liberty bibberty,
Paige

P.S. I talked to Amy Foley from the Inbound Back Office podcast earlier this year about creating brand voice — give it a listen.