Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina: Treating the causes behind the rising costs of healthcare
An integrated approach to safeguarding and bolstering the reputation of the state’s largest health insurer in a time of crisis.
client:
blue cross NC
Project:
“treat the cause” reputation campaign
Role:
integrated campaign team lead; strategy lead
date:
2022-2024
Context
As the agency of record, my team was tasked with safeguarding and bolstering the health insurer’s reputation among key stakeholders in the state. In 2022, in the aftermath of the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, many North Carolinians were facing a wide array of financial hardships, including high drug costs and a lack of job security. In-depth research including focus groups, surveys and interviews uncovered that frustration with health insurers was on the rise, and both opinion leaders and the general public were looking to the government and health insurers to work together to address the high cost of care.
The Challenge
Show how Blue Cross NC is already taking tangible steps to address affordability concerns, while still acknowledging the frustration people feel with the complex health care system, inflation and the pandemic.
The Solution
Show how BEnter “Treat the Cause:” an integrated reputation campaign to meet our audiences where they are with tangible examples of progress, partnership, impact. Our team conducted message testing research to identify key messaging pillars, and led development of a digital strategy and creative executions focused on reaching our target audience of key stakeholders, opinion leaders, and decision makers. We identified the need for an online campaign hub that was separate and distinct from existing Blue Cross NC web properties.
Our team concepted, designed and built a custom campaign microsite that could host new, original content to position Blue Cross NC as partners in identifying and treating the root causes behind rising costs in health care.
The multi-channel digital campaign included videos, animated display and banner creatives, articles and infographics, and audio spots, as well as sponsorships of key outlets and newsletters that are most widely read by our target audiences.
The Results
Data indicated that the campaign contributed to substantial lifts in the audience’s awareness and perception of the brand, leading to demonstrable lifts in reputation.
Over the course of the campaign, we continued to optimize, change, and adapt the campaign messaging and tactics to stay lockstep with Blue Cross NC enterprise priorities.
“Treat the Cause” won the PR Daily News Award for the Brand Reputation Campaign of the Year in 2024.