Skip to content

Spotlight on Michele Frey, CMO at Prudential, ILI

April 2025

Can you share the journey that led you to marketing, particularly in the insurance or workplace benefits sectors?

My marketing journey began at Kodak, where I worked in their one-hour photo processing venture. This role, though initially not recognized as a marketing position, taught me the importance of connecting a brand with its customers. Film and cameras were all about preserving memories, making the marketing process both enjoyable and straightforward. After several years, I pursued an MBA to deepen my marketing knowledge and skills, which led to my hiring at Prudential, where I am now chief marketing officer (CMO) for Individual Life Insurance.

At Prudential, the transition from tangible products to abstract financial services was challenging. I had to understand how to communicate the value of financial protection and solutions effectively. Over time, I realized that Prudential’s strength lies in its ability to connect emotionally with customers, much like my early days at Kodak. The key to success is not trying to be everything to everyone but focusing on the specific needs and wants of our customers, ensuring we provide relevant and useful value.

How does your team ensure that your marketing strategies align with your company’s mission?

It starts with a deep understanding of our purpose, which is to make lives better by solving the financial challenges of our changing world. We have defined brand elements such as reliability, innovation, and accessibility, which are reflected in our marketing campaigns and represent our unwavering commitment to help our customers achieve financial stability that protects their life’s work and transcends their lifetime.

Given our diverse product portfolio, we aim to serve a broad range of customers. Within our marketing team, we invest a significant amount of time in researching and understanding the needs and preferences of customers, advisors, and intermediaries, including those in historically underserved consumer markets. This customer-centric approach not only aligns with our core values, but also builds trust and loyalty, reinforcing our position as a global leader in financial solutions. In fact, our brand — the iconic Rock of Gibraltar — is one of the oldest company logos that still exists today, and it is a symbol of the same strength and stability that we aspire our customers to have regarding their finances.

What are your primary goals as a marketing leader in 2025?

This year is all about people, processes, and technology. First, we've made significant investments in technology to provide customization and efficiencies in how we work across the business, as well as deliver enhanced digital experiences for our customers. Now, it's imperative that our team establish clear measurements to quantify our impact in driving outcomes that better position our business to win in today's competitive environment.

Secondly, we are also focused on redefining our work and team structures to support a more agile operating model and helping team members learn new skills and tap into their creativity so that we can continuously elevate ourselves on this journey.

We've done a lot to lay the foundation for these capabilities, and this year is about bringing it all together to show clear results. It's always a work in progress, so I know there will be more progress expected next year and beyond. For now, it's about leveraging the foundational work we've already done and demonstrating how it clearly contributes to business outcomes.

How do you see AI and generative AI reshaping marketing strategies in this sector?

AI, including generative and agentic AI, is transforming marketing strategies across all sectors. At Prudential, we're leveraging AI to evaluate leads, identify sales opportunities, and generate written marketing content. There's significant potential in integrating AI with existing platforms that can help us deliver targeted messages to the appropriate audience segments as well as create enhanced imagery and social media posts.

Today’s AI tools stand to transform our ability to generate relevant content that can be easily distributed by both marketers and wholesalers. Once fully integrated, this technology can empower more people across the organization to act as marketers, allowing formal marketing teams to focus on broader strategies and impact measurement, optimizing resource allocation.

In your opinion, what qualities make for an effective CMO in the insurance and workplace benefits sectors?

Today’s CMO in the insurance sector must embody humility, adaptability, and strategic focus. Information and technology are moving too fast for any of us to be experts in all aspects of modern marketing. We must quickly acknowledge what we don't know, encourage new ideas and approaches, and look throughout our organizations to close identified gaps. The days of operating in a rigid hierarchy are gone. I think a determining factor in the future success of any CMO is one's ability to foster a collaborative, matrix-style environment that prioritizes creative thinking and maintains a clear focus on high-value initiatives that drive measurable results, while also supporting organizational goals.

How is your company working to close the insurance coverage gap for underserved populations?

Simply put, we've placed equal focus on supporting individuals and families on their financial journeys as well as developing and providing simple and affordable solutions that can help address the needs of the uninsured and underinsured populations. With the latter, one of our key consumer segments are those in the middle mass market who may not need the services of a financial advisor but still require protection for their financial and lifestyle needs.

Where possible, we are forming new strategic partnerships and embedding insurance options into different platforms and services to provide relevant solutions to a broader audience. We recognize that the insurance coverage gap exists not because there's a lack of need, but rather a lack of accessibility, and we are committed to making it easier for people to protect their families and live a better life, longer.

Are there any industrywide misconceptions you wish could be clarified through marketing efforts?

A common misconception about life insurance is that it's not necessary for the average person. I understand that people must make tough choices with their money, especially when resources are limited. However, as an industry, we need to communicate the value protection can provide. For example, when you buy a TV and the store offers a $25 protection plan, many customers easily see the value in this small investment for peace of mind. Similarly, a small life insurance policy can protect important aspects of your life, such as your home or even simple everyday expenses like groceries, without a significant financial burden.

Breaking through this misconception is crucial, and it's a challenge we must face head-on. By simplifying our messaging to be more consumer friendly, even when discussing complex regulations, we can help more people understand the value of insurance. As an industry, we can influence regulators that using a straightforward approach will do a better job of protecting consumer interests.

Did you accomplish the goal of your visit to our site?

Yes No