There’s a shift happening in the healthcare industry. It involves healthcare companies becoming more proactive with their branding and creating campaigns that feel more personal and connected with their audience.
The shift is occurring because consumers have more choices and ease of access to information. For healthcare companies to stay relevant – and attractive they must now level up their branding with marketing that’s more personal. Marketing that connects companies with their audience on a more personal level.
One healthcare company that’s leading the way in effective branding is UnitedHealth Group. Specifically, they’ve been using powerful brand campaigns to boost customer engagement and retention.
The largest healthcare company in the world, UnitedHealth Group has placed an obvious focus on brand campaigns over the last five years.
Let’s look at one of their most recent, and successful, ongoing campaigns, the ‘We Dare You’ initiative.
What is the We Dare You campaign?
UnitedHealth Group started the campaign in 2014 by releasing monthly health tips. But these weren’t the typical tips most people have heard before and tend to just ignore. Instead, they put the tips in the form of a dare. So, each one encouraged individuals to take action and then share about it. And sharing was incentivized by rewards.
Participants could share what they did, along with a photo, and the hashtag (#wedareyou) with friends and family and on general social media. There were also quizzes, logs, and other tools that incentivized participants and encouraged them to stay active with the campaign.
How does this campaign tie in with their overall brand?
Taken from UnitedHealth Group’s mission statement:
“ Our mission is to help people live healthier lives and to help make the health system work better for everyone.”
The campaign is an excellent fit with its mission in terms of encouraging healthy living. Also, their mission is about making the health care system work better for all. UnitedHealth Group is a part of the system. By positioning themselves as a provider, encourager, and healthy living resource hub, they essentially make the health system more accessible for everyone.
What were the results of the campaign?
The Fortune 500 company has seen growth in 2017, 2018, and 2019, adding 2 million + members and is still growing. It consistently ranks high across multiple markers, including innovation and global competitiveness.
The campaign also received numerous advertising rewards. As entries, social media posts, and hashtags flew around, it was obvious they were on to something. The entire campaign has increased awareness and customer engagement. It’s also had a positive impact on people’s lives. Each participant was doing something to improve their health, even if it was a small change. Every step, even small ones, matter.
Why the We Dare You campaign worked so well?
As mentioned above, the campaign fit well with United’s mission statement. This is vital for creating a compelling campaign. What’s particularly notable about this campaign is the boldness factor. It is a dare, a challenge, so it encourages participation but does so in an innovative and bold way. And this is one of the many reasons why it worked. It’s fun, different, memorable, but most of all, it works.
Also, it had all the elements of a successful brand campaign, which are:
Brand position – How and why a particular person or organization is well-positioned for the campaign.
Brand promise – What will be delivered to participants? What can they rely on and expect?
Brand personality – Does the campaign embody personality traits that are a match to the organization?
Brand story – How does this campaign match with the overall strategy and mission of the business?
Brand associations – What collateral and visual elements will the business create for the campaign that is aligned with their visuals?
Brand delivery – what are the most effective tools to be used to reach the target audience?
How can you apply the principles of a successful brand campaign to your business?
Brand campaigns can be an excellent part of an overall strategy that increases connection and engagement with your audience. Before you jump in and create a campaign, consider your core framework. In the Lane Jones Brandview Framework, we discussed the fact that the essentials of a brand are connected. In the same way, you do not just create random campaigns, each must relate and tie into your overall brand in some way. This is part of creating a cohesive brand.
In creating your brand campaign, be sure to:
Follow the principles of an effective brand campaign (outlined above)
Tie everything together with the foundation of your brand. Make sure your campaign aligns with your overall business and brand framework.
Maximize the results. Don’t just stop efforts after the campaign. In effect, branding is one long campaign repeated.
As illustrated by UnitedHealth Group, a compelling brand campaign can bring massive results for your business. Have a think about your branding and how you can create a compelling campaign. It may be just the boost your branding needs.