As North Carolina's largest insurer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) is the common thread among all players and the only entity with the big-picture view navigating its customers across health care experiences. But issues affecting consumers' health or pocketbooks elicit strongest scrutiny. And Blue Cross NC's work impacts both—making the company a prime target when consumers want someone to blame. However, decades of health insurers being depicted as the "bad guy" have made audiences unsure if Blue Cross NC truly has its customers' best interests at heart. Knowing that the rising costs of health care erodes trust in the company, Blue Cross NC felt it was time to speak up.
In January 2018, Blue Cross NC's focus groups revealed that frustration with the health care system is at an all-time high. Interestingly, cost is only one of consumers' primary frustrations. The complexity of the health care system leads to just as much anxiety and exhaustion. And not just for consumers—constantly evolving health care reform is equally as confusing and difficult to navigate for policy makers and business leaders as well. Meanwhile, employers and consumers have accepted that costs are out of control. Everyone wants change, but they're not sure who they can trust to lead that change.
At the start of 2018, Blue Cross NC was armed with new research, a new CEO and big goals to transform health care. At the same time, the challenges it faced were as intense as ever. Blue Cross NC needed to bolster its credibility with thought leaders and influencers, and to highlight how it's leading the transformation of health care in North Carolina. And it needed to do this broadly enough to encompass the mass transformation of the health system—yet specific enough to deliver on key proof points.
Taking a cue from the always-on, internet driven news cycle and using the findings from its focus groups, Blue Cross NC created a brand-new digital platform: Today We. Today We uses Blue Cross NC's everyday endeavours, big and small, as a news engine. The approach allows Blue Cross NC to highlight the breadth, depth and momentum of its collective efforts to transform the health care system.
Today We is focused on three content pillars: Fighting for Affordability, Simplifying the Complex and Building a Healthier NC. The three-pillared content strategy gives Blue Cross NC space to deep-dive into certain topics or highlight specific actions without straying from the main message: Today We are working to make health care better, less complicated and more affordable for North Carolinians.
The company identified four guideposts for staying true to the Today We message:
TodayWe.com serves as a hub for breaking news, company updates and future initiatives. In an engaging and concise manner, Today We uses news-style articles and video content to highlight the work Blue Cross NC does every day to transform the health care system in North Carolina.
To drive traffic to the website, Blue Cross NC deployed native display, website digital banner takeovers, social media, print and radio advertising, as well as both connected and broadcast TV advertising. Ad copy and messaging was specifically tailored for different target audiences on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, while a streamlined and cohesive look across platforms gave Today We content a signature look and feel. A lush and vibrant animated TV spot helped the messaging break through the clutter of traditional and political TV ads.
Once users reach TodayWe.com they are met with a variety of creative assets strategically designed to highlight topics in each of the three content pillars. Infographics, talking head style videos, animated GIFs, and photographs keep visitors engaged with complex and nuanced topics.
Taking an innovative approach, campaign executions include not just one large campaign, but year-long efforts under the umbrella of Today We. Targeted "mini-campaigns" highlight single topics or a specific content pillar to address consumer concerns or to provide air cover when necessary.
