No. 99 Aflac Ford Fusion to Feature Toy Story 3-Inspired Look for Upcoming NASCAR Race

COLUMBUS, Ga., June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac today announced the creation of a special Toy Story 3 paint scheme for the No. 99 Aflac Ford Fusion that will be driven by Carl Edwards at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA on June 20.

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The paint scheme reflects a collaboration between the Georgia-based insurance company and Disney*Pixar, following the release of a television commercial using Pixar's unique brand of animation. This marks the second time Aflac and Disney*Pixar have worked together for cross-promotion.

The commercial features the Aflac Duck and movie characters from the anticipated summer blockbuster Toy Story 3 demonstrating how Aflac policies provide protection when life presents challenges. The ad, which began airing nationally on May 17, will be televised nationally on TNT during the race.

"Aflac is pleased to once again team up with Disney*Pixar to help drive awareness for our brand and demonstrate the benefits of our products and services," said Danny Fleishman, vice president of sponsorships and emerging markets at Aflac. "Whether on or off the track, life can be unpredictable, which is why Aflac offers policies to help keep you protected when you need it most."

Toy Story 3 welcomes Woody (voice of Tom Hanks), Buzz (voice of Tim Allen), and other characters back to the big screen as Andy prepares to depart for college and his loyal toys find themselves in daycare. The untamed tots with their sticky little fingers do not play nice, so it's all for one and one for all as plans for the great escape get underway. A few new faces—some plastic, some plush—join the adventure, including iconic swinging bachelor and Barbie's counterpart Ken (voice of Michael Keaton), a thespian hedgehog named Mr. Pricklepants (voice of Timothy Dalton) and a pink, strawberry-scented teddy bear called Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear (voice of Ned Beatty). 

The ad places the Aflac Duck in the daycare center with a narrator talking about how life can be difficult from time to time and how Aflac is there to protect you.

In May 2009, Aflac and Disney*Pixar collaborated for the release of the summer blockbuster Up. To support the release, Aflac created a special Up paint scheme for the Southern 500 race at Darlington Speedway and hosted a VIP screening event for NASCAR families.

About Aflac

When a policyholder gets sick or hurt, Aflac pays cash benefits fast.  For 55 years, Aflac insurance policies have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the United States, Aflac is the number one provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance. In Japan, Aflac is the number one insurance company in terms of individual insurance policies in force. Aflac insurance products provide protection to more than 50 million people worldwide. For four consecutive years, Aflac has been recognized by Ethisphere magazine as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies, and Forbes magazine named Aflac as America's Best-Managed Company in the Insurance category. In 2010, Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the twelfth consecutive year and also included Aflac on its list of Most Admired Companies for the ninth time. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit aflac.com.

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Media Contact:

Jonathan Freed

Aflac Corporate Communications

706.243.8793

[email protected]

SOURCE Aflac