Business

Hear the New Voice Behind the Aflac Duck — a 36-Year-Old Father of 3

Posted on April 26, 2011 at 2:37pm by Jonathon M. Seidl
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NEW YORK (AP) — Aflac is betting a sales manager from Minnesota has the voice to drive the name “Aflac” into the recesses of your brain and keep it there.

Daniel McKeague, 36, a father of three from Hugo, Minn., beat out 12,500 other contestants to replace actor Gilbert Gottfried and become the new voice of the reinsurance company’s duck mascot.

Gottfried voiced Aflac’s duck for U.S. audiences for 11 years but was ousted in March after making insensitive remarks on Twitter about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, which produces about 75 percent of Aflac’s revenue. Aflac soon announced a contest for Gottfried’s replacement, though the actor who has long offered a gentler interpretation of the duck for Japanese audiences will continue.

McKeague recorded a 30-second clip at radio station KQRS in Minneapolis, where he works, uploaded it to Aflac’s website and later did a more formal video audition.

After learning early Tuesday that he was selected for the gig, McKeague said he’s known for doing silly voices.

“Whenever that ad would come on I would imitate the duck and the kids loved it,” said McKeague, whose children are 5, 8 and 11.

Aflac Chief Marketing Officer Michael Zuna says the company and its longtime advertising agency, The Kaplan Thaler Group, first winnowed the contestants to a short list of about 50, which they cut to 8 and finally to 3 – none of them celebrities. Contestants had to be able to convey a range of emotion within the single word “Aflac” and submit to an extensive background check.

Executives listened to the three finalists and chose McKeague for his range and his ability to embody the duck.

“We thought he was the best by far. I can’t explain to you why. It just was. Maybe it is part of the mystique of the Aflac duck,” said Dan Amos, Chairman and CEO of Aflac.

He gets a one-year contract in the low six figures that the company said will likely be renewed for several years.

The first ad with McKeague’s voice airs Tuesday evening during the new show “The Voice” on NBC.

McKeague says he is thrilled – and don’t expect him to pull a “Gottfried” during his tenure.

“I understand what’s at stake, it is not just getting behind a microphone and screaming ‘Aflac.‘ If you’re a spokesperson you have responsibilities.”

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Comments (64)

Ducky 1
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 4:00pm
I personally think it is quite ducky that the
blaze posted this story. I wondered who won.
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TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:36pm
Gilbert is a very funny guy; he was fired for pc reasons.
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- LibertyWon
  Posted on April 28, 2011 at 12:23am
  PC reasons? How much is aflac going to save by hiring a no-name? How much FREE publicity did they get? Aflac comes out ahead all the way around. You will never see another insult comic as a spokesperson again and for the dr, you wont see Mel Gibson selling mottza balls.
  Report Post »
Furious Styles
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:32pm
Exhibit A in why I have been coming to The Blaze less & less.
Shame, this site had SO MUCH potential.
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- Mr. Nice Guy
  Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:52pm
  Just because The Blaze posts a story doesn’t mean anyone has to read it. Was the headline deceptive? Do you want a refund on your click?
  Report Post »
Marylou7
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:27pm
I like the AFLAC duck and I like this man.
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roadhog
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:26pm
That AFLAC duck is a Dum ad.
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mcconthebus
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:25pm
AFLAC are a bunch of Weasels for firing Godfreid in the first place. He’s a shock comedian, for Christ’s sake! And Godfreid should SUE for the new guy for ripping off his iconic voice….
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- bethsioux
  Posted on April 27, 2011 at 12:30pm
  It ALWAYS has sounded like Gilbert Gotfried (whose comedy I can NOT STAND!) and now it sounds like a G.Gotfried impersonator or at the very best, Gilbert Lite!
  So how does THAT placate those Japanese people(God bless them!)who are offended?
  Doesn’t Gotfried have some property rights to his signature voice?
  ‘Cuz Iago, the irritable parrot in Disney’s Aladin, sounds a whole lot like the AFLAC duck and a whole lot more like Gilbert Gotfried’s schtick.
  Report Post »
TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:24pm
Good for him; glad he’s got a gig. I, however; don’t use insurance represented by ducks, lizards, or dogs. I also don’t use doctors or lawyers that advertise on tv
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JJCon
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:21pm
I’m not sure I know what the point of replacing Gottfried was when they replace him with someone impersonating him. Maybe they can pay him less.
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integrican
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:12pm
They should have found someone who could imitate a drowning duck. Just like the sound AFLAC will be making when they start ‘drowning in debt,’ after settling those claims in Japan.
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teddrunk
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:08pm
Darn, I thought I’d get that job for sure. Well back to eating beans & franks for supper.
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Zer0
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:06pm
WHO CARES? I likened this to Nero fiddling whilst Rome burns.
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Gonzo
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:05pm
Cha Ching!
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Rayblue
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:03pm
Bring back Garfield Goose.
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Firebrand
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:01pm
Good for him. So many people are out of work. It’s nice to hear that someone is having some success. Who wants nothing but bad news all the time? Besides, the old voice was really foul. Seriously, I’d bill it as the most annoying thing ever.
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Hungry_i
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 2:57pm
The commercials ceased being funny when the duck started overacting.
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- Mr. Nice Guy
  Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:26pm
  Do you have that date marked on your calendar by any chance?
  Report Post »
Twinspeedr
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 2:55pm
Exactly, Nick. That’s it?

I am not at all impressed. He sounds forced, put-on, and has none of the panache of Gottfried (who I think is a pinhead BTW). They could have walked into any company in the US with more than 1000 employees and found at least 1 voice that is as good as this guy. Whatever…
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thorkyl
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 2:53pm
Quack, Quack
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smak
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 2:51pm
Let’s see how soon someone brings in an Obama reference.
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- Gonzo
  Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:28pm
  Obama is a disaster. There you go bud.
  Report Post »
smak
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 2:50pm
Great commercials. Love the duck.
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NickDeringer
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 2:48pm
That’s it?
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CarolinaGirl
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 2:46pm
Good for him! Looks like he’s a real nice all-American kind of guy. Congrats Mr. McKeague!
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- sof32
  Posted on April 26, 2011 at 2:55pm
  I totally agree. Good for him!
  Report Post »
Omikronian
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 2:46pm
Good press for Aflac but other than that not really a story.
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Susan Harkins
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 2:44pm
well, Obama…there is one more person for which your stimulus helped as “jobs created/saved/lives touched.”

…Now you just need 149,000,000 more for that stimulus to be hailed a success!

GREEN SHOOTS FOR EVERYONE!!!

;;;yawn;;;
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- Dale
  Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:43pm
  “jobs created/saved/lives touched.”
  ——————————-
  That includes everyone!
  Report Post »
aragona
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 2:41pm
He sounds exactly like the other guy. How original. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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- Mr. Nice Guy
  Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:24pm
  I don’t know, I think all ducks sound pretty much the same.
  Report Post »
- Dale
  Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:42pm
  And I didn’t even know they were looking for someone – missed my chance.
  Report Post »
let us prey
Posted on April 26, 2011 at 2:40pm
What a waste of time.
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- Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
  Posted on April 26, 2011 at 2:46pm
  Quack…Aflac…duck dinner anyone?
  Report Post »
- Cemoto78
  Posted on April 26, 2011 at 2:51pm
  I don’t know, I was proud of AFLAC for getting rid of someone for making disparaging remarks. At least they did something about somebody acting like a fool. they should have auditioned Keith Olbermann for the job cause you know this piece of work can scream like a little girl whenever you mention the word Bush.
  Report Post »
- Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
  Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:01pm
  @Cemoto78:
  
  Your right, I did forget about that, and how fast they did respond with decisiveness as well. I just find the duck of Aflac to be annoying in any commercials. Maybe if they wanted a interesting one have the cavemen brothers and the duck having a presidential debate or such, it might be of interest and some good humor.
  Report Post »
- kschmud
  Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:07pm
  Lighten up people! I am happy for this man and his family at landing this job and a peek behind the scenes.
  Report Post »
- Anonymous T. Irrelevant
  Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:24pm
  IMO, I think it’s time to go in a new direction, but hey, that’s me.
  Report Post »
- 1TrueOne55
  Posted on April 26, 2011 at 3:24pm
  Duck is tasty when you take the pellets out after being shot…
  Report Post »
- jbl8199
  Posted on April 26, 2011 at 4:21pm
  They just need to ditch the duck and get a new mascot. The duck used to be funny, but he’s been kind of lame lately.
  Report Post »
- demint.disciple
  Posted on April 26, 2011 at 4:25pm
  I am totally complete now and now, I can die a happy man..
  Report Post »
- pavnvet
  Posted on April 26, 2011 at 5:46pm
  If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is……..well I guess it is Daniel McKeague. If these folks are dumb enough to pay someone “low six figures” to quack Aflac, it’s good to see a family man that passed an extensive background check get the gig.
  Report Post »
- A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
  Posted on April 26, 2011 at 5:47pm
  McKeague said:
  
  ““I understand what’s at stake, it is not just getting behind a microphone and screaming ‘Aflac.‘ If you’re a spokesperson you have responsibilities.”
  
  But that makes you, essentially, a slave to a company. That’s not right.
  
  While I support a company’s right to hire and fire whoever and whenever they like, they shouldn’t be trying to control what people do outside of work; it’s NOT related to their job – spokesperson or otherwise.
  
  And it’s not like Gottfreid did much of anything but shout “Aflac!” – how is THAT being a “spokesperson”?
  Report Post »
- Showtime
  Posted on April 27, 2011 at 12:08am
  Here’s the new commercial:
  http://www.aflac.com/individuals/default.aspx
  Report Post »
- beckisnuts
  Posted on April 27, 2011 at 10:23am
  People with contacts in the biz know this whole thing was staged from the start.
  Report Post »

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