The Campaign

Can one corporation make a real impact on helping people lead healthier lives? Insurance giant AIA Group is sparking change through a new CSR platform – Healthy Living – that empowers people in Asia-Pacific to adopt and advocate healthier ways of living. From a variety of unrelated CSR activities in different markets, AIA seized the opportunity of its successful IPO and separation from AIG to reset its CSR strategy to support its business goal of helping people achieve their hope for a better future. At the heart of the media program was a survey of over 10,000 adults in 15 markets to understand how they feel about their health and various aspects of healthy living. Findings from this AIA Healthy Living Index Survey were widely shared with reporters, producers and bloggers in each market. To encourage healthy living habits and help drive coverage, AIA implemented a Healthy Living Day in 13 markets with activities that engaged employees, agents, their families and local residents. The CSR media campaign generated extensive community involvement and media coverage across Asia-Pacific and successfully created a robust health-focused CSR platform easy to adapt to local culture – an important consideration given the diversity of markets in AIA’s portfolio. Healthy Living also supports AIA’s goal of being a ‘protection expert’.

The Brief

• Build and publicize a strategic and focused approach to CSR for regional implementation to have the greatest positive impact on the largest number of people. • Identify a CSR space to provide AIA a meaningful point of difference as the “Protection Expert” and a strong platform to give back to the community. • Own a CSR platform easily adaptable to suit needs of local cultures. • Position AIA as a customer-centric leader with an authentic desire to help people achieve their hopes for a better future. • Gain the support and engagement of local agents and employees in the CSR program. • Deepen AIA’s bonds with various stakeholders.

Results

AIA’s Health Living Index and events secured extensive earned regional media coverage including the Straits Times, Jakarta Post, Asian Banking and Finance, and CBN Weekly. The Healthy Living platform has been enthusiastically adopted and embraced by AIA’s 15 local operations with the platform and initiatives seen as strongly supporting the Protection Expert image AIA desires to own. Healthy Living activities are now an integral part of CSR and employee engagement. The Healthy Living Index surveys confirmed the importance and relevance of healthy living and highlighted the different dimensions of healthy living beyond physical exercise and healthy foods – sufficient sleep, managing stress and work life balance. Most respondents said companies should do more to help employees achieve a healthier work/life balance and to promote exercise and nutrition. AIA is committed to replicating the Healthy Living Index survey as on-going monitor to be in touch and in tune with people’s views on this important topic.

Execution

The AIA Healthy Living Index Survey among over 10,000 adults across 15 markets focused on the respondents’ overall health and well-being. Findings were publicized locally and regionally highlighting differences in AIA Healthy Living Index scores across the region. Local Operations communications about local survey findings included comparisons to regional averages. AIA Group worked closely with local operations on planning and execution of local media and events. A Hong Kong press conference in October 2011, announced the overall results of 15 markets. Local markets then announced their country-specific results. Marquee publicity events -- AIA Healthy Living Days -- were held October - December 2011 in 13 markets: Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, China, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Range of healthy living activities included mini-marathons, exercise instruction at schools, and mobile health clinics providing free check-ups for general public.

The Situation

For years, the CSR activities for AIA across its 15 markets had been ad hoc with no common mission or platform – missing opportunities of greater impact that a more focused CSR strategy can create. Following the launch of a new logo in 2009, in October 2010, AIA was listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange. This successful listing and new visual identity provided impetus for re-thinking, identifying and launching a cohesive CSR program as AIA embarked on a new journey as an independent, publicly listed company.

The Strategy

Create a media relations program that would capture interest in and engagement around AIA’s CSR Healthy Living platform among media, public, employees and other stakeholders. • Ground program in original and localized 15-market research on behaviors, attitudes and concerns about wellness • In tandem with release of research, stage local Healthy Living Day events to bring the program and findings to life. • Leverage the support and engagement of AIA’s 21,000 employees and 260,000 agents to help drive the program at the grassroots level and to motivate them as AIA ambassadors in their jobs and as neighbors in the community. • Create scalable Healthy Living activities that could be adapted and implemented locally in a way relevant to local conditions and needs.