Client Monte Carlo Rendez-Vous
Category Project work, public relations, strategic communications, social media
Date September 2020
The coronavirus outbreak caused the cancellation of one of the most important conferences in the reinsurance industry’s calendar. Every September, all the key executives in the global reinsurance industry traditionally gather in Monte Carlo for the Rendez-Vous – a five day whirlwind of meetings, meals and cocktail parties that are the first discussions surrounding reinsurance pricing renewals the following January. All of the major re/insurance trade magazines produce lengthy special editions and most publish comprehensive daily newsletters.
In 2020, the Monte Carlo Rendez-Vous was cancelled, however, the global uncertainty caused by the pandemic meant that the 2021 reinsurance renewals season will be one of the most important in history. As a result, despite the cancellation, reinsurers and brokers were desperate to keep in touch with the latest market information and to make their views known this September. The key challenge was to create imaginative campaigns that kept clients in the news in the absence of a face-to-face Rendez-Vous.
Strategy
The Monte Carlo Rendez-Vous is such an important event – and next year’s renewals will be so crucial – that the reinsurance media created a series of alternatives to try to in some way replicate the conference. These ranged from producing daily newsletters to hosting virtual conferences, podcasts and webinars. Rein4ce contacted all trade media months in advance to find out what they were doing. This allowed us to offer boardroom level advice to our clients to ensure that in these uncharted waters, they had the fullest picture of the opportunities open to them to maximise their communications activities.
Through a series of video calls, we managed to ensure that our clients were featured in a range of media outlets, including in daily newsletters, or appearances in webinars, podcasts and fireside chats. For some clients, we advised that they sponsor a virtual conference to promote their brand, messaging and executive team, as well as guaranting coverage, while in other instances we successfully pitched talking points that resulted in journalists interviewing our executives.
Results
In all, we secured more than 20 editorial pieces for our clients for virtual Monte Carlo activities. For one client alone, we secured 12 pieces of coverage ranging from interviews and opinion pieces to fireside chats. They included articles in Carrier Management, Insurance Insider’s RecConnect virtual conference, Insurance Day, Intelligent Insurer, Reactions, and an interview with Insurance Journal TV.
What the client said
“With all conferences cancelled, it has been really difficult trying to keep in touch with the market and potential clients. We were delighted, therefore, that Rein4ce was successful in promoting our team through interviews that appeared in the daily newsletters of all the main conferences – Monte Carlo, Baden-Baden and PCI.”
Sara Ager, CEO, GreenKite Associates.
“The Monte Carlo Rendez-Vous is a key date in the Xceedance diary. Our presence there helps with market awareness of our company amongst some of the key influencers within the re/insurance industry. Despite this year’s cancellation, Rein4ce ensured that our voice was heard by those who would have usually attended this important event.”
Justin Davies, Head of EMEA, Xceedance
