GUELPH, ON, Sept. 12, 2016 /CNW/ - Building resilience against the risks that Canadians and their communities face has never been more important. As a society, we can rise to the challenge by raising awareness, fostering understanding and working collaboratively to manage risk. This is the theme of a new national brand campaign launched today by The Co-operators, which will run through 2018.

The first commercial, running across the country with the exception of Quebec, begins today across a mix of media, including broadcast and specialty television and digital platforms. An animated ad, it seeks to spark a conversation about building resilience, raising the important issues of distracted driving, mental health issues and flooding.

"We are a different kind of insurance company and that comes through in this campaign. It's not about selling products or services; it's about starting a conversation and encouraging people and organizations to take action to better protect their property and their loved ones," explained Rob Martin, senior director, corporate marketing for The Co-operators. "Issues like climate change, emotional wellness and distracted driving are important and complex societal issues that we are engaged in, but they are also beyond the capacity of any one person or institution to fix. Everyone from the federal government to individual homeowners has a role to play in making our communities more resilient, and our goal is to boost engagement and help find solutions."

The first commercial of the brand campaign begins today and will run until December 5, with others to follow through 2018. The campaign and the conversation about resilience will be supported by social media and other communications and advocacy work focused on building resilience.

About The Co-operators:
The Co-operators Group Ltd. is a Canadian co-operative with more than $44 billion in assets under administration. Through its group of companies it offers home, auto, life, group, travel, commercial and farm insurance, as well as investment products. The Co-operators is well known for its community involvement and its commitment to sustainability. The Co-operators is listed among the Best Employers in Canada by Aon Hewitt; Corporate Knights' Best 50 Corporate Citizens in Canada; and the Top 50 Socially Responsible Corporations in Canada by Sustainalytics and Maclean's magazine. For more information, visit www.cooperators.ca.

SOURCE The Co-operators