Reliance General Insurance markets around Valentine's Day

Merchandising cards, gifts, bands and flowers around days like Valentine's Day, Father's Day, Mother's Day, Friendship Day etc. is an old & popular marketing technique. Infact, the term "Hallmark holiday" is often used in the United States to describe a holiday that is perceived to exist primarily for commercial purposes, rather than to commemorate a traditionally significant event. The name is derived from Hallmark Cards, an company in the US that benefits from such 'manufactured' events through sales of greeting cards and other items. (source:Wikipedia)

The insurance industry also views these days as opportunity to engage with potential and existing consumers. While Indian insurance companies still haven't woken to the opportunity, international insurers often have a series of events and program on World Cancer Day (4th Feb). Similar eventful days for the next 4 months include -
- International Women's Day (8th March)
- World Health Day (7th April)
- Mother's Day (13th May)
- World No Tobacco Day (31st May)
- Cancer Survivor Day (4th June)
- Father's Day (17th June)



I was pleasantly surprised to receive a email communication from Reliance General Insurance themed around Valentine's Day. The focus of the email was on a health insurance plan for a husband and wife at plans starting from Rs. 10 per day for two individuals. The emailer had an excellent blend of colors, an image of a happy couple and listed the key benefits of the plan. The objective of the emailer was to push the visitor towards their website.

  
























As the insurance market in India develops, I strongly see the growth of large and small niches that insurers would like to exploit. This will start at multiple levels like demographics (men, women, child, under 25, senior citizens, South zone, Punjab only) and products (dental, optics, diabetes, top-up insurance, women cancer etc.). I feel the Indian insurance sector is waiting for one of the other insurers to make the first move and I wont be surprised if completely new entrant like a CIGNA comes in with a portfolio of never-heard-in-India products. 


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