AIG launches YouTube campaign as part of rebranding

(Reuters) - American International Group is continuing its rebranding with a YouTube channel, part of the insurer's effort to shed the stigma of its 2008 government rescue and essentially reintroduce itself to the public.

AIG was on the brink of bankruptcy when it was saved by the government in September 2008. Its $182-billion rescue tarnished the image of what had been the world's largest insurer, and it has been trying to rebuild its name since.

Last month, the company said it would resume the use of the "AIG" brand for its various insurance businesses, reversing a decision taken in the early days of the crisis when the name inspired public derision.

The YouTube channel appears to be part of that effort. Though the channel appears to have been set up last month, the company began actively promoting it on its Twitter feed on Thursday, alongside the hashtag "#proud2beAIG".

There are three video sections, each with three clips: "Rebuilding AIG," "Proud to Be a Part of AIG" and "Giving Back to the Community."

All of the content is geared toward both humanizing the company and making the case for its recovery.

"We'd like to tell you a story about an American corporation working to keep a promise it made to the U.S. Government and American taxpayers," reads the title cards that play at the beginning of the first two-and-a-half minute video, an animated effort with a timeline of the bailout.

The second video features Chief Executive Bob Benmosche, who is widely credited with stopping the company's fire-sale breakup after the bailout and leading the company's recovery, as well as a number of other employees.

The page also links to the restructuring factsheet on AIG's website and displays the company's Twitter feed.

As of midday Thursday, the channel had just 44 subscribers, with the videos having been viewed just over 2,100 times.

An AIG spokesman confirmed the YouTube campaign was a new effort.

(Reporting by Ben Berkowitz; Editing by Bernadette Baum)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/aig-launches-youtube-campaign-part-rebranding-183928864--finance.html

ann curry nhl obamacare Nexus 7 euro 2012 dominion power Colorado Springs