Aflac Recognized as a Top 25 Brand

Holds Highest Rank for Insurance Companies in the Financial/Insurance Category

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Mar 24, 2015, 08:00 ET

COLUMBUS, Ga., March 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac, the leading provider of voluntary insurance at the work site in the United States and one of FORTUNE's 2014 Blue Ribbon companies, announced today that they have been listed as the 25^th top brand by American City Business Journals and The Business Journals. The Georgia-based insurer with the popular Aflac Duck advertising campaign tops the list for insurers in the Financial/Insurance category. Aflac climbed 31 spots on the annual list compared with last year.

Aflac was rated the No. 25 Brand in a recent survey conducted by the American City Business Journals. The ACBJ surveyed more than 1,600 small- to midsized-business owners to compile their 13th annual list.

The results are highlighted in the 13th annual SMB Insights Study from The Business Journals, which surveyed more than 1,600 small- to midsized-business owners and top management decision-makers. Companies were ranked based on several criteria, including industry leadership, vision, ethical behavior, general popularity, good pricing and customer service. The survey involved more than 250 brands, most of which are based in the United States.

"As a chief marketer, I am extremely pleased to see the Aflac brand sitting near the top of a ranking like this, especially since Aflac spends a fraction of the amount spent by others in the insurance industry for marketing and advertising," Aflac Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer Michael Zuna said. "But a brand is only as good as the promises you keep and the great people who help you keep them. Whether it's our field agents who serve our customers on the front lines or the analysts working hard to get a claim paid, we want to be the brand that customers can always rely on."

In February, Aflac introduced its latest innovation called One Day Pay^SM. If an eligible claim is submitted with all supporting documentation via Aflac SmartClaim^®, the company's online claims-submission system, Monday-Friday by 3 p.m. ET, Aflac processes, approves and disburses payment for the claim in one business day.

"The branding study from the Business Journals provides companies with a valuable, independent snapshot of the way business decisions makers view and rank top brands. For those that make the list, it's recognition for being among the best of the best," said Whitney Shaw, President and CEO of American City Business Journals, parent company of The Business Journals.

According to the American City Business Journals, the annual study is done in order to provide a snapshot of how marketers can assess how a particular brand performs over time. Regardless of category, brands that are consistently highly ranked should be seen as resources for stimulating thoughts about best practices, the researchers believe, as well as for new partnership opportunities and even out-of-the-box ways to improve branding and marketing efforts for SMB customers.

ABOUT AFLAC
When a policyholder gets sick or hurt, Aflac pays cash benefits fast. For nearly six decades, Aflac insurance policies have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the United States, Aflac is the leading provider of voluntary insurance at the work site. Through its trailblazing One Day Pay^SM initiative, Aflac U.S. can receive, process, approve and disburse payment for eligible claims in one business day. In Japan, Aflac is a leading provider of medical and cancer insurance and insures 1 in 4 households. Aflac individual and group insurance products help provide protection to more than 50 million people worldwide. For nine consecutive years, Aflac has been recognized by Ethisphere magazine as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. In 2015, Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the 17^th consecutive year. Also, in 2015, Fortune magazine included Aflac on its list of Most Admired Companies for the 14th time, ranking the company No. 1 in innovation for the insurance, life and health category. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac and One Day Pay^SM, visit aflac.com or espanol.aflac.com.

Media contact – Jon Sullivan, 706.763.4813 or [email protected]

Analyst and investor contact – Robin Y. Wilkey, 706.596.3264 or 800.235.2667, FAX: 706.324.6330, or [email protected]

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SOURCE Aflac