New campaign sees small health funds take on industry leaders
The Shannon Company has created a new unified brand for a group of health funds which have banded together to form the Members Own Health Funds group, with a new campaign telling customers they will be treated as people not ‘just another number’.
The group is a consortium of 18 smaller health care providers seeking to take on the market dominance of industry leaders Medibank and Bupa, with managing partner with The Shannon Company Ian Forsyth saying the national TV and digital campaign will shake-up the industry.
“While each of the Members Own health funds have been successful in their own right, by pooling their resources and creating the Members Own brand and symbol, they’ll gain a national presence not available to them individually ,” he said.
“These Australian health funds already have more than 2.5 million members and they’re compelling alternatives to funds run to benefit investors or overseas owners.
“The multi million dollar campaign comprising 45, 30 and 15 second TVCs and a range of digital elements will mean many more Australians will become aware of Members Own funds and the benefits of membership.”
Today ZenithOptimedia announced it had won the media business for the new group.
The ad shows people struggling with big health funds offering poor service and limited human interaction, contrasted with a warm and friendly experience that is customised at one of the smaller competitors.
In a move mirroring the highly successful Industry SuperFunds movement, the health funds representing the individual brands have created Members Own Health Funds as an umbrella marketing brand and symbol.
The campaign highlights the differences between funds like Medibank, AHM, NIB, Bupa, and those that are part of Members Own Health Funds.
Members Own Health Funds comprises : ACA Health, Australian Unity, GMHBA, people care, Defence Health, Navy Health, rt health, Teachers Health Fund, TUH, St Lukes Health, Latrobe Health, Uni Health, Frank Health Insurance, hbf, gmf, Phoenix Health.
Picking big health funds as the enemy is probably the right way to go, but you could hardly say that Medibank and Bupa are treating members like numbers. These brands strike out as shining examples of customer-centric branding. Gymbetter etc.
The winner here are the TV networks and media agencies – because even members own health funds are competing with each other aren’t they?
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I dare say iSelect won’t enjoy this.
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In the end we’re all numbers. Instead focus on compelling numbers – like profit, % of funds back to members. The points made in the ad are pretty nebulous.
The call to action needs to be a lot stronger too.
And the ‘you probably should be…’ tagline just sounds like they are making a half hearted effort.
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