Amica's Film Series Says We're Defined by What We Leave Behind

We’re told death and taxes are the two certainties everyone must face. Yet, while we come to terms with the IRS every year, we put off thinking about death and postpone end-of-life planning for as long as possible.

That dynamic makes marketing life insurance especially challenging; it’s top of mind just before it’s too late.

Amica, however, understands that the number of Americans who believe they are underinsured has more than doubled since 2010. And 53 percent of us are uncertain about how much or what type of coverage to buy.

So, 1) We know we need insurance, but 2) We aren’t sure which kind to purchase, and 3) No one wants to think about it. Now that’s a great brief!

We knew we had to employ Amica’s “Empathy Is Our Best Policy” positioning to tackle these challenges. And the mission required more than traditional ads. After all, the only thing folks avoid more than mulling life insurance is interruptive advertising.

Strong storytelling allows us to connect emotionally. So, we opted for a film series—with entries of about five minutes each—centered around compassion and the human experience. Mother New York took the creative lead with Courageous Studios. Media by Mother implemented a strategy with Warner Bros. Discovery.

Our guiding insight was that taking care of someone after you’re gone is the most meaningful act of empathy. Through that lens, we were able to flip the focus and deemphasize confronting mortality. Death isn’t negotiable. Shaping one’s legacy, on the other hand, is an active choice and one we should ponder.

Our branded series, “What You Leave Behind,” centers on treasured everyday objects left to us—serendipitously or intentionally—by those we loved and lost.

The campaign tells three stories about such items: a drum kit, a camera and a recipe book. Through the words of those who value them most, we learn that such artifacts are the true embodiment of the legacy of their loved ones.

“The Drums,” our first film, tells the story of Chris Lotito and his relationship with his father. After his dad passed, the drums were inadvertently sold, crushing Chris and leading him on a decades-long quest to recover them.

Our second episode, “The Camera,” dropping soon, follows Kwasi Boyd-Boulin, an award-winning photographer who only found his calling after inheriting his father’s camera. Kwasi’s work has been showcased in The New York Times and the National Gallery of Art, furthering his dad’s legacy.

At the end of each narrative, we invite viewers to learn more about Amica and consider what they would leave behind. Such legacies are powerful expressions that can endure long after we’re gone.