Situation: The actuary profession was losing influence; actuaries were finding it increasingly difficult to communicate the value they provided to their employers and industry. The number of actuaries was declining, and actuaries found that they no longer had a "seat at the table." To address this situation, the Society of Actuaries (SOA) created the Image Advisory Council to try to shift the perception of actuaries within the profession and among corporate leaders.

Challenge: SOA had to redefine and elevate the perception of actuaries first within its own profession in order to support membership recruitment efforts and generate awareness about the value that actuaries provide in both traditional and non-traditional industries.

Solution: Bonfire designed and implemented a communications campaign that demonstrated why a new image was important to the field. The campaign promoted the new image and key messages to the profession, integrating a new brand identity with video, trade magazine advertising, and events.

Results: The new brand and positioning helped significantly raise the perception of actuaries within the field. Since the campaign's launch, the profession has received increased media coverage and executive suite attention, and reported improvement in customer satisfaction survey results. Enrollment numbers for actuary programs continue to increase nationwide.