No Bulls and Bears This Time - It's a Duck Market at NYSE

COLUMBUS, Ga., Feb. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- President and COO Paul Amos II of Aflac, the insurance company that pays you cash when you are sick or hurt, will ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange today – with a unique twist. For the first time, The Closing Bell® will "quack" for television viewers at home as Amos and other Aflac executives close the day's trading with one of America's best-known feathered friends by their side. Aflac is celebrating the iconic spokesduck's 10th birthday and the company's 55th year in business.

In 2000, the Aflac Duck first made advertising history when he waddled onto the scene in a commercial called "Park Bench". Since then, the Aflac Duck has become one of America's most beloved icons, the punch line of late-night comedians, an annual Christmas collectible at Macy's and a wildly popular figure on Facebook. The advertising campaign has catapulted the company's name recognition from approximately 12 percent to 94 percent.

Building on that branding success, Aflac is currently on a mission to increase understanding of the company's products and services. Its unique You Don't Know Quack campaign involves 45 components, including television, print, out of home and online advertising starring the Aflac Duck as well as social media and contests.

"Like most 10-year-olds, the Aflac Duck is showing some attitude in the new 'You Don't Know Quack' advertising campaign," President and COO Paul Amos II said. "The Aflac Duck is challenging people in a fun, light-hearted way to discover that Aflac is the insurance that pays cash benefits directly to policyholders, usually within five days."

In 2009, Aflac met its earnings objective for the 20th consecutive year and increased the cash dividend for the 27th consecutive year. Aflac has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL since 1974.

A live Webcast of The Closing Bell will begin at 3:59 p.m. and be available on the home page of nyse.com.

About Aflac

When a policyholder gets sick or hurt, Aflac pays cash benefits fast. For 55 years, Aflac products 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. Aflac has been recognized by Ethisphere magazine as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for three consecutive years and has also been named by the Reputation Institute as the Most Reputable Company in the Global Insurance Industry for two consecutive years. In 2010, FORTUNE magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the twelfth consecutive year. FORTUNE magazine also ranked Aflac No. 1 on its global list of the Most Admired Companies in the Life and Health Insurance category. In addition, Aflac was named by Forbes magazine as America's Best-Managed Company in the Insurance 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, visit aflac.com.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090422/CL03654LOGO )

SOURCE Aflac

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