Before there were iPods, there were cassette tapes. Before there were podcasts, there was Radio KOKO. Created by senior product and competition analyst David Neal in 1993, Radio KOKO was a monthly “radio show” that covered the latest Pacific Mutual and industry news. It was distributed on cassette tape to producers, branch managers and other staff in the field.

The entertaining format was an instant hit among producers, eager for the newest trends, products, news and sales tips. As Neal recalled in an interview with Pacific Mutual’s internal newsletter, “Producers told us they didn’t have time to read all the materials we sent to them, so we came up with the idea of monthly tapes. Producers can listen to the tapes while riding in cars. It is a very time-efficient way to get information to them.”

“Plus, it demonstrates Pacific Mutual’s uniqueness—we’re the only company in our industry with such a program,” Neal said.

Although Neal left the show in its third year, his vision can remain an inspiration to Pacific Life employees. He urged employees not to be afraid of presenting innovative ideas to management. “You might be surprised by how well it is received—at [Pacific Mutual] it seems like everyone is open to new ideas.”