Great Eastern takes on sports strategy to reach women

Very early on, we identified women as a key customer segment for Great Eastern. We wanted an event where we could better engage them and which also gave us the opportunity to differentiate ourselves from our competitors.Based on research and feedback, we decided that a run just for women would appeal to this segment. So in 2006, we pioneered the inaugural Great Eastern Women 10K. Seven years on, I am delighted to share the run is now the largest women-only run not only in Singapore but in Asia, annually attracting some 15,000 ladies.Our strategy is to focus on mass participation and inclusiveness. We encourage women from all walks of life, and all ages, regardless of whether they are a social or competitive runner, to participate in our run. That this why we created several categories, including a Fun Run as well as a half-marathon.This has borne fruit. The Great Eastern Women’s Run is now our signature event, eagerly anticipated by many. We leverage the Run to actively engage the participants as early as five months prior to race day, starting with the event launch. In the months that follow, the Great Eastern brand is further reinforced at the many fringe activities which we organise for participants. These include Pilates sessions, cooking workshops and circuit training.Another of our strategies is to build on the event and literally run with the momentum. Each year, we aim to make the Run bigger and better. Last year, to cite an example, we surprised runners with a Powder Room where they could freshen up after their run. This was a first and we received many compliments. Last year, we refreshed our brand purpose to be a "life" company and went beyond the role of a traditional insurance company. We introduced the Live Great programme, the first integrated health and wellness programme in the industry, to help our customers live healthier, better and longer. There are five key components –wellness tools, health tips, mobile apps, Live Great card as well as workshops and events. The Run is a major event under our Live Great programme and an excellent platform to promote healthy living.In 2013, we have expanded the Run programme to include family activities. We recognise that strong family support is important to help women take that first small step to living healthy through sports. Come race day on 10 November, fathers, partners and children can look forward to a carnival at The Float@Marina while at the same time supporting their loved one in the Run.Through strong branding in our eDMs, print, radio and online ads as well as on-site, consistent PR messaging, as well as creating a positive race experience every time, we have succeeded in bringing the Great Eastern brand closer to the community.The writer is Colin Chan, chief marketing officer, Great Eastern Life.