Giving Voice And Hope To Children With Sickle Cell Disease, One Duck At A Time
By Brad Knox
Over the years, corporations have become more creative in developing characters synonymous with their brands. From the lonely nameless Maytag Repairman to Progressive’s quirky sales rep Flo and Jake from State Farm, beloved mascots give many products iconic voices that withstand the test of time.
The Aflac Duck waddled into the business world Jan. 1, 2000, and by the time I joined the Georgia-based supplemental insurance family in 2006, the little duck with big personality was already a brand powerhouse. That said, advertising and branding were only part of the mission.
In 2018, Aflac introduced My Special Aflac Duck® as a companion for children with cancer. It quickly became clear that this robotic innovation was more than another brand mascot. Its purpose was born straight from the hearts of Aflac CEO Dan Amos and Kathelen Amos.