Yes& and FEMA Flip the Script on Flood Insurance as Ominous 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season Looms

There’s little to celebrate regarding this year’s Atlantic hurricane season, which is forecast to be the most active on record. But FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and it’s agency partner Yes& are helping consumers find the “win” in the midst of impending flood loss with a new twist on flood insurance marketing. The “Winning Choice” campaign, currently running in markets throughout the southeast and Gulf Coast, takes a humorous approach, tapping Americans’ winning spirit to capture residents’ attention about the urgent need to prepare for flooding by being properly insured.

The first execution of “Winning Choice” features a family game show with the contestants’ choice being amusingly right…or clearly wrong. It helps audiences connect with flood insurance in a relatable and fun way without undermining the seriousness of flooding – the most common and costly disaster in the U.S.

Yes& hopes to utilise a similar approach in future campaigns targeting other areas of the U.S. facing other types of flooding. “‘Winning Choice’ is a big idea that goes beyond this initial game-show execution and provides the NFIP with a cohesive, yet flexible way to execute creative customised to unique situations,” said Yes& President and chief creative officer Josh Golden. “We’re lucky to have a client in the NFIP that favours bold approaches to tackle tough issues.”

Tactics include video ads, radio, print, display, digital ad units, native, high impact, paid search, paid social, earned media and email throughout Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. The campaign (in both English and Spanish) will be hard for those residents to miss throughout the rest of Hurricane Season. 

Few Americans realise that homeowners and renters insurance usually does not cover damage from flooding, and federal disaster relief is often limited. With flooding from hurricanes becoming more common and severe due to climate change, flood insurance is critical to financially protecting the lives Americans have built. 

Initial metrics on campaign performance are promising, with all tactics exceeding benchmarks. The video completion rate is 98% with high impact units seeing a click-through-rate (CTR) more than double the industry average. Social media clicks are up 800% and the banner ad CTR is up 400% over the previous year’s hurricane campaign.