Business
Kaiser unveils ad campaign
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Oct. 11, 2004
Kaiser Permanente's research into how it's viewed by the public unearthed some unpleasant findings. Many people who weren't its patients, surveys said, view the health system as bureaucratic and impersonal -- a good place to get treatment for serious illness but not for wellness programs or routine, lifelong care.
That's why during the summer, the Oakland, Calif.-based HMO launched a $40 million advertising campaign, its biggest-ever, in hopes ultimately it will impress employers and bring more members into its folds. The campaign, which is scheduled to continue into 2005, portrays the system as a champion of individual health improvement.
Kaiser's new marketing, which uses the tag line "Thrive" in the TV and radio spots, print ads, and billboards, is targeted widely, said Mark Simon, executive vice-president and creative director for Campbell-Ewald, the Warren, Mich.-based ad agency that created the campaign.
This is Kaiser's first major marketing push since a consumer group sued it three years ago, charging that it falsely used statements in ads boasting Kaiser doctors make all medical decisions and not "bean counters" or administrators. The suit also brought attention to the use of cost-cutting guidelines and incentives at the plan. The lawsuit was ultimately settled.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/10/11/bibf1011.htm.
