Implementing the change

Before the change consumers were confused about who AEGON was, what it did and how it fitted together. The audit had shown that global scale was important but so was local expertise.

In the past, the AEGON brand had not been heavily promoted alongside Scottish Equitable or the other brands that it traded under. The brand strategy helped to reposition the brand within the industry.

Now the association with AEGON is much stronger. For example, Scottish Equitable is now AEGON Scottish Equitable - reflecting both local knowledge and global power. All the brands now carry a new common look which is refreshing and different. This, along with the values and behaviours, is helping to make the brand 'refreshingly different'.

Impacts of the change

The changes affected the organisation both internally and externally. Within the organisation, they influenced not only how people behaved but also how they communicated. The organisation has become more focused on the customer. The emphasis is on making information clearer for the customer to understand and the company easier to do business with.

To help embed the values and behaviours, AEGON established a new relationship with Shirley Robertson, the famous yachtswoman and the only British female athlete to have won gold medals at consecutive Olympic Games. By associating AEGON with an individual who embodies similar values, it was able to bring the values and behaviours to life for staff.

However, AEGON had to develop the brand and its reputation. It did this is a number of ways:

• External promotional campaigns emphasised the relationship between Scottish Equitable and AEGON. This helped to reinforce the local knowledge and the global power of AEGON in the UK.

• The CEO talked to the media about the need for change. The refreshing of the brand internally and externally resulted in strong positive feedback.

• AEGON has launched new and innovative products. For example, the 5 for Life annuity has helped to change the way in which consumers can look at their retirement income. It provides more certainty about levels of income for the consumer, with AEGON providing the levels of return promised and being responsible for any risks associated with doing so.

Today the AEGON brand has a position from which it is influencing the financial services industry. It has posted record results with significant growth in underlying earnings. It has also increased its new business across a mix of profitable products and services, reflecting its continued strength.