Arlington, Va. — Life Happens’ Real Life Story “Protected by Planning” has received a Silver Award for Best Not-for-Profit Video (non-broadcast) in the 47th Annual Telly Awards. The Telly Awards honors excellence in video and television across all screens and is judged by leaders from video platforms, television, streaming networks and production companies across the globe.
The winning entry features a Real Life Story, the organization’s storytelling franchise, that shines a light on a topic many people don’t like to think about: death and the financial aftermath. Firefighter Ryan Pleasants died on the job at just 41, but because he planned early on with life insurance, his wife, Raquel, and children were OK financially. As Raquel says, “Life insurance has allowed me to focus on the children and to continue to give our family the future that Ryan and I both dreamt of.” Watch “Protected by Planning” here.
“Telling important stories like the Pleasants’ is key to our educational mission,” says Brian Steiner, Executive Director of Life Happens. “We want our storytelling to resonate with people on a deep level, so they see themselves in these everyday, but life-changing circumstances and then act on that to get life insurance coverage. We are honored to be recognized with this award, and I applaud the creative team whose focused work over many months brings these stories to life and delivers them to the world.
In addition to Life Happens, this year’s winners include Paramount TV, Warner Brothers Discovery, FOX Entertainment, MoMA, Mayo Clinic, Sony Music, TED, Al Jazeera, Variety, PETA, United Talent Agency, People Inc., Olympic Channel, AccuWeather, ABC News, Dude Perfect, Washington Commanders and Harvard Business School.
“Video has never been more contested, more creative, or more consequential than it is right now,” says Amanda Needham, Managing Director of The Telly Awards. “The Telly Awards has had a front-row seat to this industry for 47 years, and today’s entertainment is happening in multiple formats, across every screen, and at every budget level.”
With over 13,000 entries from across the globe and top video and television content producers. Winners were chosen by The Telly Awards Judging Council, which features more than 250 experts across the world of video. This year welcomed judges including Tamara Kruger, Head of Content and Sponsorships, Google; Janet Graham Borba, Executive VP of Production, HBO; Phil Cook, Chief Marketing Officer, WNBA; and Andrea Wertheim, Senior Manager Post Production, Netflix. The full list of the 47th Annual Telly Awards winners can be found at www.tellyawards.com/winners.
About Life Happens
Life Happens, a NAIFA community, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping consumers take personal financial responsibility through the ownership of life insurance and related products. The organization does not endorse any product, company or insurance advisor. Since its inception in 1994, Life Happens has provided the highest quality, independent and objective information for people seeking help with their insurance buying decisions. The organization supports the insurance industry by providing marketing tools and resources and convening the industry each September for Life Insurance Awareness Month. Life Happens is supported by many of the nation’s leading insurance companies and as of 2024 is part of the NAIFA community. To learn more, visit lifehappens.org.
About the Telly Awards
The Telly Awards is the premier award honoring video and television across all screens. Established in 1979, The Telly Awards receives over 13,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents. Entrants are judged by The Telly Awards Judging Council—an industry body of over 250 leading experts including advertising agencies, production companies, and major television networks, reflective of the multiscreen industry. More information can be found at the Telly Awards Press Center: https://tlly.co/press.
Media Contacts
Maggie Leyes
mleyes@lifehappens.org