Animation Studios
Entertainment

Kelly Kimball
PH (818) 290-7080
FX (818) 788-0383
media@wildbrain.com

Esurance & W!LDBRAIN Showcase First Long-Form Adventure on FX
Erin Esurance’s Newest Adventure to Debut During the World Broadcast Premiere of "I,Robot"

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- March 19, 2007 -- Esurance, the direct-to-consumer personal auto insurance company, discussed its plans for "Carbon Copy," the company’s first long-form adventure featuring the company’s animated "spokesperson" and special agent, Erin Esurance. Esurance’s ongoing animation and creative partner, the award-winning studio W!LDBRAIN, produced the short feature, a three-minute tale of clones, robotized plants and mad scientists.

A shorter two-and-a-half minute version of "Carbon Copy" will debut nationally on the cable network FX during the world broadcast premiere of the film "I,Robot" on March 19 at 7:30 PM ET/PT. The broadcast version features a cliff-hanger ending and drives people to www.esurance.com to view the full-length short. After the debut, the broadcast version will also appear during five additional airings of "I,Robot" through April 1.

Barry Schwartz, Senior Vice President Integrated and Emerging Media for FX Networks, stated, "FX is proud that Esurance chose us to showcase their long-form debut. Advertisers like Esurance are great to work with as they want to move beyond the thirty-second spot and get creative with the programming FX can make available. We think that audiences tuning in to ‘I,Robot’ will enjoy watching all the action in Erin Esurance’s latest caper."

John Swigart, Esurance’s Chief Marketing Officer, explained, "We are very excited to work with FX on showcasing ‘Carbon Copy,’ our first long-form production. It helps propel the campaign’s storyline to a new level. Ever since we launched Erin Esurance in July 2004, we have continually worked to keep people entertained and engaged with our special agent’s episodic adventures, and we have been very pleased with the response. For fans of our shorter thirty-second commercial adventures, ‘Carbon Copy’ will not disappoint."

Though "Carbon Copy" is the auto insurance company’s first long-form feature, this latest collaboration between Esurance and W!LDBRAIN marks the seventeenth animated commercial that the companies have produced together in less than three years. More commercials, character integrations and other productions are currently underway for 2007.

Andrea Mansour, Executive Producer for W!LDBRAIN, added, "The Esurance campaign is the result of a true collaborative effort between the Esurance and W!LDBRAIN creative teams. The commercials are all very story-driven, so a longer format spot was a natural progression for the campaign, giving W!LDBRAIN’s Director Phil Robinson and the animators a chance to turn things up a notch in terms of story, action, and visuals."

Esurance’s Swigart concluded, "We couldn’t ask for a better creative partner than W!LDBRAIN, and it is great to move the campaign into new territory. As with everything we produce and broadcast, we hope that ‘Carbon Copy’ entertains viewers and makes people smile. Just because we’re an auto insurance company doesn’t mean we aren’t creative and innovative. In fact, creativity and innovation are some of the reasons why we’re one of the fastest growing auto insurance companies in America." In addition to the FX network debut and the presence on www.esurance.com, the full-length feature will be shown at film festivals and other events sponsored by Esurance throughout 2007.

About Esurance®
Esurance, a subsidiary of White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. (NYSE: WTM), provides personal auto insurance direct to consumers online and through select online agents. Esurance is dedicated to constantly improving the way people shop for, buy, and manage their auto insurance. By combining the best of technology with industry know-how, Esurance is able to offer hassle-free coverage with 24/7 customer service and claims handling at competitive prices. Through Esurance’s Web site, www.esurance.com, customers can get instant quotes, view comparison quotes, buy an Esurance policy, and print their proof of insurance card— all in minutes. Esurance also offers policyholders the ability to make policy changes and file claims instantly online, demonstrating its commitment to improving the entire insurance process from quote to claim.

About FX
FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable network from Fox. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in more than 89 million homes. The diverse schedule includes a growing roster of distinctive original series and films, an established film library with box-office hit movies from 20th Century Fox and other major studios that run in prime time and an impressive lineup of acquired hit series. For more information on the network and its programming, see: http://www.fxnetworks.com/

Download PDF