Progressive Insurance is promoting its Snapshot program via a new mobile initiative that integrates ads into content from the Words with Friends application.

Progressive is running mobile ads that encourage users to play specific words associated with the company. Progressive consistently uses mobile advertising to promote its services.

?We?re using the platform as a way to educate people on our Snapshot program and the fact that now anyone can try Snapshot, you don?t even need to be a Progressive customer,? said Chris Scott, emerging media manager at Progressive, Mayfield, OH.

?Words with Friends is a popular, highly visible app, and we see the Word of the Day program as an opportunity to connect with consumers in a fun, rewarding manner,? he said.

Game on
The campaign is aimed at educating consumers on how the Snapshot program has recently been expanded to any interested consumers. Previously, the service was only available to Progressive clients.

Progressive is running the mobile campaign for one week inside the Words with Friends app. The campaign ends July 16.

Over the course of the week, app users can play three words associated with the Progressive brand ? trial, save and insure.

Banner ads at the bottom of the app encourage users to spell out the words while playing. The copy reads, ?Play the word of the day? and tells consumers that they can save up to 30 percent on their insurance with Progressive?s Snapshot product.

When tapped on, the banner ads lead to a mobile landing page where users can learn more about the Snapshot service.

Users can sign-up to try the Snapshot program by getting a quote. Consumers can then register for the service by filling out forms.

If a consumer successfully plays a word in a game, another full-page Progressive ad is served that links to Facebook to let users share the game to family and friends.

By placing the ads into Words with Friends games, the ads function more as a piece of content than a basic mobile banner ad.

This gives consumers an incentive to play certain words, which in turn increases brand awareness. Additionally, unlike many mobile ad campaigns being used right now, the Progressive campaign is relevant to the app?s content, making it seem less intrusive to players.

Progressive is using other types of mobile ads to promote Snapshot, such as a campaign with Spotify.

The full-page ads that consumers are served

Mobile service
Progressive actively uses mobile advertising to promote products and get users to sign up for services.

This is an especially smart move for insurance companies that bank on generating phone calls from consumers with questions about their insurance. To take advantage of this, click-to-call options and finding a quote are two commonly used features.

Progressive has been active in the mobile space for a while with both applications and a mobile Web site that helps consumers receive quotes or pay insurance bills.

For instance, the insurance company rolled out a mobile site in March to help users either pay a bill or find a service center (see story).

Additionally, in 2011 Progressive revamped its car insurance applications and enabled mobile quoting on its site (see story).

?We think it?s important to be present on the third screen. Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for Progressive customers and potential customers to interact with us in the means of their choosing,? Mr. Scott said. 

?Like many other industries, the advances we?re seeing year-over-year in mobile are changing the game as well,? he said.

?In the early days of online quoting, it was considered convenient to get a car insurance quote in 15 minutes. Without sacrificing quality, we?re seeing an average quote time on mobile devices of five minutes and 50 seconds.?

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Marketer, New York