Shaquille O’Neal has been promoting The General for years, even before the insurance brand pivoted from late night television to more mainstream placements. In the brand’s recent campaigns, Shaq has chided colleagues, gone toe-to-toe with Montell Jordan, sung in the shower and essentially has been the most affable goof in the insurance biz. Now, he’s dragging his mother into the show.
The “Turns Out” campaign by agency Highdive continues the humor with the former NBA star and current sports commentator, while adding Lucille O’Neal to the mix. Mom turns up in a spot called “Game Show,” where she answers questions on a faux game show before they’re even asked, prompting Shaq to comment, “turns out, moms are always right,” which turns into a promo for The General.
A second spot, titled “Wish” has multiple versions for different platforms that include a range of takes and jokes, showing Shaq as a big brother, where the “Turns Out” theme becomes one where wishes do come true for the young wisher.
“Since the inception of the official brand refresh back in February of 2021, it has been a priority to effectively communicate to audiences that we are a quality insurance company dedicated to providing customers with great value for their money,” said Kale Sligh, vp of marketing for The General, in a statement. “The third installment of the refresh aims to continue to reinforce our brand truth, that The General is a quality insurance company that has been saving people money for nearly 60 years.”
The “Wish” campaign also features Hispanic actors and has a Spanish language version.
“What I love about The General is it’s not only a quality insurance company that you can trust, but it’s a company that has also helped me along the way. This campaign was fun to be a part of, especially since I got to do it alongside my mom. She’s a natural and it’s always special to work together,” said Shaquille O’Neal in a statement.