NFL TV analyst Cris Collinsworth has signed a rare endorsement deal, under which he will become the face of Western & Southern Financial Group later this year, as the 125-year-old financial services giant mounts a national ad campaign for the first time.
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Collinsworth
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Fortune 500-ranked Western & Southern is based in Cincinnati, where Collinsworth played for the Bengals for eight seasons. He also was born in Ohio and earned a law degree at the University of Cincinnati.
“His reputation for smarts and trustworthiness make him right for a financial services brand, and obviously he has deep connections in Ohio, so it just makes a lot of sense as Western & Southern looks to generate more of a national identity,” said Steve Rosner, a principal at 16W Marketing, which represents Collinsworth.
The campaign from Cincinnati ad agency Northlich will include two to three TV ads, along with print and digital support. The ad buy is still being planned.
Western & Southern, which has asset management and insurance as its principal business lines, has been a longtime title sponsor of the August U.S. Open Series event in Cincinnati, on which the ads may break. Collinsworth’s other commercial affiliations have been with DirecTV and FedEx.
