McAlvany Financial Group has taken a playful approach to marketing with a stunt in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
The print ads, developed with independent agency Fire Kite, took a cryptic approach, with one in The New York Times reading: “GET UFO ABDUCTION INSURANCE BEFORE THEY GET YOU” alongside a phone number (1-833-NO-PROBE) and a subtle McAlvany logo.
A similar version appeared in The Wall Street Journal with standard advertising attribution.
Alex Goulart, Fire Kite’s Founder and Executive Creative Director, said the unusual approach was deliberate: “No overt brand message. No mention of Gold IRAs. Just a cryptic headline and a phone number. The lo-fi look was intentional – designed to stand out in such serious publications and spark curiosity. It’s an audacious way to create buzz and raise awareness for McAlvany.”
Readers who dialed the number were greeted by David McAlvany, CEO of McAlvany, who used the opportunity to link the stunt back to the brand’s main message: protecting retirement savings through Gold IRAs as “Wealth Insurance.”
The print ads build on McAlvany’s national ‘Wealth Insurance’ campaign, which highlights the surprising, and sometimes absurd, things people insure, from pets and weddings to alien abductions. It aimed to highlight that the most important asset to protect is retirement savings.
The campaign included 60-, 30- and 15-second videos, national print and digital placements in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, radio spots, banner ads and social media content.