BLOOMFIELD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cigna’s latest expression of its Together, All the Way.™ brand kicked off this week in a new advertising campaign, “America Says Ahhh,” across TV, digital and social platforms. Using consumer insights showing that Americans want to be in control of their health, yet are unaware of key preventive care benefits, Cigna is championing preventive care – a misunderstood and often forgotten part of wellness. The campaign ties to Cigna’s business goal of keeping people well so they can lead healthy, productive lives and reduce the risk of financial hardship from health care costs. In addition, ads in national and key markets reinforce Cigna’s wellness partnership with its customers.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Americans use preventive services at only about half the recommended rate. The campaign issues a call to action for all consumers to get their annual physical – which is included in a suite of preventive services covered by all health plans. Additionally, the campaign encourages consumers to know four key numbers: body mass index (BMI), cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar, which are the main drivers of managing and reducing health care costs, as illustrated by recent Cigna health studies. These studies show that understanding simple personal information about these four common health conditions can help individuals save as much as $500 a year in out-of-pocket costs. They also show that not knowing can result in more than $3,000 in unnecessary out-of-pocket costs for an individual’s health care.
“Our goal is to encourage checkups to help save 100,000 lives a year*, the number the CDC estimates would be saved if everyone received the recommended preventive care,” explained Stephen Cassell, Cigna’s global branding officer. “We’re starting right here at Cigna. We are challenging all Cigna employees to complete their free annual checkup. Our baseline survey reveals that only half of our employees get their annual checkup. We have our work cut out for us, but we know that getting to 100 percent participation will result in fewer health risks and lower medical costs.”
In mid-October, Cigna will head to Brooklyn, where the company will be the featured partner promoting wellness, prevention and the annual checkup with Jimmy Kimmel and the extended Disney/ABC/ESPN family.
“We’re using an innovative and creative platform to help people across America take advantage of preventive care, starting with a basic annual checkup. Lecturing, scolding and scaring people into taking action doesn’t work,” Cassell said. “Cigna is taking a light-hearted approach to show how simple, easy and quick a basic checkup can be. We want to demonstrate that it is not only necessary, but also maybe a little bit fun.”
The campaign also includes a Cigna employee kickoff, direct-to-consumer marketing, business-to-business marketing, cause-marketing and media relations initiatives.
The campaign revolves around a unifying message: Go get your checkup and take control of your health, especially since an annual physical is “free” for Cigna customers (and covered under all health plans). It is an integrated campaign that supports everyday consumers in their journey to wellness before, during and after their preventive care visit with their providers. Cigna also uses the playful concept of job swaps throughout the campaign, suggesting that employees take the opportunity to get their annual checkup while their managers and colleagues “cover” for them.
The multi-channel campaign runs through December and includes:
- Fully integrated partnership and travel sponsorship of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” during the week of Oct. 19 in Brooklyn, including a job swap segment with on-air, on-site and digital/social activation;
- In addition to the ads, Cigna is working with the ABC network on integrations with “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” when Kimmel broadcasts during the week of Oct. 19 from Brooklyn, N.Y., and on “Good Morning America”;
- Job swap activations across six markets – New York, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Houston and Miami – with ABC Owned and Affiliate TV stations airing 60-second “promercial” videos featuring local talent who “cover” off on job responsibilities for select individuals in their community while those individuals go get their annual checkup;
- Special focus on Hispanic markets through custom vignettes in Dallas, Houston and Miami, continuing Cigna’s efforts to educate the Hispanic community on the importance of preventive care and knowing their biometric numbers. This was supported earlier this year in Houston and Denver with free blood pressure screenings and distribution of preventive care collateral materials in Houston and Denver; and
- CMT Taxi activation in New York, Miami, Houston and Washington, D.C., with local job swap videos.
Additionally, the new campaign will be featured nationally and in select key markets with TV, out-of-home and digital advertising, including:
- Network TV on early morning and daytime on shows like “Good Morning America” and “The Chew”;
- Cable TV networks like TBS, Food Network and ESPN;
- Digital properties like Rodale, Facebook and YouTube;
- Early morning, daytime, news, prime access and primetime; and
- Locally targeted digital properties like Yelp, Weather.com and Healthgrades.
Other elements of the campaign include a new prevention microsite at Cigna.com/TakeControl. Ads will be launched in South Korea and New Zealand as well as in Africa and Europe as part of the Together, All the Way.™ platform.
Cigna’s campaign was developed by McCann New York, Cigna’s creative agency, and OMD Worldwide, Cigna’s media buying agency.
* Preventive care includes health services like screenings, checkups, and patient counseling that are used to prevent illnesses, disease, and other health problems, or to detect illness at an early stage when treatment is likely to work best. Getting recommended preventive services and making healthy lifestyle choices are key steps to good health and well-being. In fact, if everyone in the US received recommended Clinical Preventive Care, we could save over 100,000 lives each year. (Source: http://www.cdc.gov/prevention/)
About Cigna
Cigna Corporation (NYSE:CI) is a global health service company dedicated to helping people improve their health, well-being and sense of security. All products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Life Insurance Company of North America and Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. Such products and services include an integrated suite of health services, such as medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, vision, supplemental benefits, and other related products including group life, accident and disability insurance. Cigna maintains sales capability in 30 countries and jurisdictions, and has more than 89 million customer relationships throughout the world. To learn more about Cigna®, including links to follow us on Facebook or Twitter, visit www.cigna.com.
About McCann New York
McCann New York is a unit of both McCann Worldgroup, a leading global marketing service company and McCann Erickson, the world’s largest advertising agency network. McCann Worldgroup also includes MRM//McCann (digital marketing/relationship management), Momentum Worldwide (total brand experience), McCann Health (professional/dtc communications), CRAFT (global adaptation and production), UM (media management), Weber Shandwick (public relations), FutureBrand (consulting/design), ChaseDesign (shopper marketing) and PMK-BNC (entertainment/brand/popular culture).
About OMD
OMD Worldwide (www.omd.com) is the leading global media communications agency, with more than 10,000 employees across 100 countries serving the world’s high-profile brands. OMD provides a range of services globally including communications strategy, media planning and buying, digital execution, content creation, entertainment marketing, sponsorship and brand analytics. Recognized for its global footprint, strategic integration and creative innovation, OMD has been named Most Creative Media Agency by The Gunn Report for an unprecedented nine consecutive times; Adweek Global Media Agency of the Year for 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2014; IPA 2014 Effectiveness network of the Year. OMD is currently ranked the world’s most Effective Media Agency Network in the Global Effie Effectiveness Index.
About ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is traveling to Brooklyn, New York, for a week of late night shows starting Monday, Oct. 19. This will be the second time the late night host brings the show back to his hometown. The lineup of guests includes Jay Z, Bill Murray, Michael J. Fox, Bradley Cooper, American Ballet Theater Principal Ballerina Misty Copeland, Howard Stern, and more. “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will broadcast from Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Howard Gilman Opera House for five original shows from Oct. 19 through Oct. 23. “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m., ET/PT on ABC.
