An early look at Affordable Care Act digital marketing

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., Oct. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Having successfully launched Affordable Care Act online advertising campaigns in 39 States, Audience Partners is in a unique position to analyze the early efforts to increase awareness, educate and enroll. The multi-million dollar online advertising campaigns include sponsors from the federal government, state exchanges, advocacy groups and private insurers nationwide.

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Interestingly enough, no one refers to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by name. Even the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) only refers to the ACA as "the healthcare law." As for the State exchanges, their messaging seems to be centered around several common themes.

Many of the creatives focus on financial help. One ad in California that "welcomes" viewers "to the financial help" they "need to get health coverage," or an ad in Maryland that offers "$0 or low cost health coverage is now within your reach." In New York, they are stressing the "affordable" nature of the health insurance coverage with copy like "Today's the day that a broken arm doesn't have to break the bank."

In addition to affordability, New York also stresses the idea that this is "quality" health coverage in ads like "Today's the day you can afford a quality health plan" to overcome the objection that people may view these health plans as inferior.

A few of the States are touting the "preventative care" provision specifically. Like an ad from Maryland Health Connection that asks the question "Why get quality health coverage at Maryland Health Connection? Screenings to keep me well. Find out about preventative care coverage"

The insurers seem to be taking a different route. Many are just offering general branding. Like one online video from Health Republic Insurance that takes digs at the larger insurers by saying that they "don't pay millions to CEOs or have to worry about shareholders." ConnectiCare focuses their ads on "budget-friendly rates" and extras like their college tuition rewards program. Many of the insurers are also pushing the idea that if you have questions about what health reform means for you, they have answers. This was a common theme prior to the launch of open enrollment and still seems to be important.

In the coming months millions more will be spent on outreach and Audience Partners will be analyzing the results.

About Audience Partners

Founded in 2008, Audience Partners is the market leader in data-driven audience-targeted digital advertising. Headquartered in Fort Washington, PA, the company's programmatic ad-buying platform uses proprietary big-data assets in healthcare, politics and public affairs to make decisions on how to reach these audiences most efficiently on all four screens (PCs, mobile phones, tablets and television systems). Privacy-compliant, big data direct integrations with 30+ of the nations largest media companies, ad networks and exchanges allow Audience Partners to deliver the right message, at the right time, to the right audiences everywhere they are connected to a digital device at unprecedented scale. For more information visit health.audiencepartners.com or contact us at [email protected]

SOURCE Audience Partners