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The 2023-24 college football season is nearly upon us, and Aflac is bringing back some familiar faces in its new sports marketing creative.
Coaches Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders and Nick Saban have reunited with the health insurance brand for its annual college football campaign, building off last summer’s introduction of the Aflac Duck’s archenemy, the Gap Goat.
“Office Takeover,” the first of a new series of spots, will debut during the Aflac Kickoff Game Sept. 1 when Louisville takes on Georgia Tech on ESPN, running across linear, digital and social.
The spot opens with the Gap Goat taking over Saban and Sanders’ office to send out expensive medical bills. However, Gap Goat’s reign doesn’t last long, with Coach Prime bringing in a buffalo to evict the troublemaker.
“Meet one of my new homies,” Coach Prime quips in a gag that plays off Sanders’ first year of coaching the Colorado Buffaloes.
Minding the Gap
The campaign highlights the disparity between health insurance coverage and the actual cost of medical bills, with Coach Prime and Coach Saban leading the way.
“While kicking off another college football season, I’ll continue advocating for those grappling with medical debt arising from unforeseen medical events—something that hits close to home considering the medical injuries we face during the season,” Saban said in a statement. “Football teaches the importance of being prepared for any situation, and we want fans to know how Aflac can help when health expenses arise.”
In addition to “Office Takeover,” Aflac will roll out a series of five pieces of creative, three of which highlight particular products with Coach Prime.
“We don’t historically promote products, but this year, we’re making a big push to educate people about our cancer insurance product,” Garth Knutson, chief marketing officer at Aflac, told Adweek. “We’re really using this campaign and this year’s football season to talk more about product, but also Aflac’s work with the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorder Center.”