This month KHJ is rolling out phase two of a brand campaign we created for Commonwealth Care Alliance, a not-for-profit care delivery system that provides patient-centric solutions for beneficiaries of Medicare and Medicaid. As I think back over the year since we first began working together to bring their brand to life, I continue to be struck by the sameness of the healthy, active people featured in typical health care advertising and can’t help but start to hum that old R.E.M. song, “Shiny, Happy People.”

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While it would have been easy for us to go the route of featuring our own version of shiny, happy people enjoying life because they are members of Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA) in our advertising, it would not have reflected the unique nature of CCA or the special audiences they serve. We took a very deliberate risk grounded in what we uncovered as CCA’s brand “why” – their reason for being – and recommended using real people challenged by very real medical and mental health issues living with courage and dignity (not skipping along the beach at sunset with a loved one and their dog). Nervously, the client agreed.

The result was a brand campaign we call “Healthy is harder for some.” The TV spot that is central to the campaign can be seen here. Not only are we proud that the campaign has helped position CCA for success against their competition, as evidenced by enrollment in their newest program offering, but the creative has really struck an emotional chord with many of the people we were trying to reach.

We were delighted to meet a woman at a recent Health Care For All event who just happened to know our work through a blog posting by a friend titled “A different approach to health”. This author’s observation that “Healthy is harder for some; and for those of us who find that true, it’s OK to be who we are” could not better express the message we were trying to convey. We are honored to partner with CCA, bring their unique brand story to life, and play a part in the great work that they are doing helping seniors and people with disabilities enjoy better health and greater independence. It really does make all of us at KHJ very happy people.

 

Read our post about living your brand from the inside out here.

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