The original guideline mirrored iA Financial Group’s overall strategy. On social networks the life insurer aimed to achieve its two main ambitions: to become the company that best meets client expectations, and the employer of choice that offers a rewarding career.

“Facebook and Twitter also let us highlight our social commitments, and Twitter is our main channel for targeting our sales force,” iA Group communications advisor Francis Frenette points out. “Social networks give us visibility, which is reflected by our followers’ high level of engagement.”

“Beyond our objectives, we also turn to social networks to promote our charitable actions. We use them to reach our employees, sales force and advisors. This is the easy side of social networks,” he explains.

iA Financial Group also draws on social networks for its targeted promotional campaigns for some products. “It is much easier to measure penetration and the effectiveness of an advertising campaign on social networks,” Frenette explains. “Our results were quite positive, particularly for our auto/home subsidiary, snowmobile and newborn children’s insurance campaigns. Thanks to social networks, we can track which campaigns have been most successful.” 

Generally, iA juggles campaigns between TV and social networks. “We assess the best possible mix between campaigns on traditional media and on social networks. We don’t ask if it’s the chicken or the egg. It’s not one more than the other, or one instead of the other. Rather, it’s one and the other,” he says.

Frenette admits that social networks have down sides, particularly in terms of investment in time and transparency, but emphasizes that all of their actions are well thought out.