Canal Partner LLC

Canal Partner estimates personal lines P/C insurers spent almost $700 million in online and mobile advertising in 2010.  That was 14% of total advertising budgets and roughly 75% more than what was spent in 2008. 

Even so, there is a global spending imbalance that will correct itself over the next two years.  

By the end of 2012, these insurers will be on an annual run rate spend of $1.2 billion.  

What are you doing to capitalize on this re-balancing movement?

Kristin Brewe, former Director, Brand & Public Relations at Esurance, has been instrumental in establishing an important identity to one of our industry’s most innovative insurance companies.   In this interview, Kristin discusses social media marketing, brand development via differentiation, how the Internet has handed control over to the consumer and Erin Esurance’s pink hairdo. 

Click here to read Kristin Brewe interview

Periodically, someone asks me a question that makes me wonder wwes? 

During a recent speaking engagement, I was asked by an insurance industry veteran if companies and agents should consider an Internet presence as "mandatory".  This was not a trick question.  To be fair, the person asking the question was doing so for the benefit of those who periodically ask him or who are thinking of the question but afraid to ask.

Unfortunately, as many of you may know, the insurance industry just may be the only sector where some still wonder about this; therefore, and equally unfortunately, it is still a legitimate question that gets asked from time to time.  To be sure, just this year, a large insurance carrier was forming an Internet strategy for the first time...and they outsourced the work to a consultant!! 

So, I answered the question sincerely...saying simply that it is not optional because the Interent isn't going away nor is it a fad.  But in my mind I thought of a famous Einstein quote (tweaked only so slightly just for the occasion), "There are two things I know to be infinite.  The Internet and human stupidity...and I don't know much about the Interweb."