Ohio insuretech firm Bold Penguin has inked its second national pro sports sponsorship since being acquired by American Family Insurance of Madison.
The NFL's Cincinnati Bengals named the Columbus software maker its "Official Commercial Insurance Technology Partner." The deal does not include any appearances on team uniforms, but a presence in Paycor Stadium, a spokeswoman said. The partnership highlights the platform's aim to simplify commercial insurance for small businesses.
Bold Penguin, which was acquired by American Family Insurance in 2021, shortly afterward became the home helmet sponsor for the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins. That deal with fellow avians continues.
"We bring small commercial insurance carriers and agents together, empowering them as they work together to help small business owners protect what they have worked tirelessly to build," Bold Penguin chief operating officer Jim Struntz said in a news release. “Like the Cincinnati Bengals, Bold Penguin is committed to supporting and celebrating the Ohio community. This season, we can’t wait to see what bold moves the Bengals have in store."
Bold Penguin operates independently within the AmFam umbrella. Agents used the platform to process more than $2 billion in commercial coverage premiums in 2022, according to its annual report.
Big league sponsorships are not new to American Family. In 2019, the property and casualty insurer announced a 15-year sponsorship deal with the MLB's Milwaukee Brewers that included naming rights to the Brewers home stadium, now called American Family Field.
Bold Penguin had announced plans to continue growth in Columbus and remotely. It's one of the tenants keeping office space at Chase Tower, 100 E. Broad St., as remote work increases office vacancies downtown.
Bold Penguin reported 86 full-time Ohio employees for 2022, according to the state Department of Development.
