• by Tanya Gazdik , September 10, 2019

Highmark is launching its first Medicare brand campaign, which creatively acknowledges the different life situations of its prospective customers. 

The effort, created by Partners + Napier, introduces the “Right Fit Guarantee.” It was inspired by the urban legend in which Ernest Hemingway bet a fellow group of writers he could pen a novel in six words. He wrote “For sale: baby shoes, never worn” and collected his winnings. 

Some of the six-word stories include: “Learned how less could be more,” featuring a retired couple sitting by a campfire outside their RV, relishing the night sky; “Went big. Fell hard. Got up,” showcasing a successful food truck chef who has found his second career; and “Ringleader of my very own circus,” depicting a grandmother baking up a storm, with grandkids adding to the fun.

“Medicare customers have a lot of life and experience behind them. We saw an opportunity for a new way of storytelling — to boil all that down to just six words and create powerful narratives based on Highmark’s current and prospective members,” said Michael Baron, executive creative director at Partners + Napier, in a release.

“We want people to know that we will provide them with the right Medicare plan for their particular situation even as their health, finances and future needs evolve,” added Chris Zdanowski-Pattison, director of strategic marketing at Highmark Health.

The campaign, which is set to run throughout much of Pennsylvania, includes 60- and 30-second TV spots, pre-roll, print and free-standing inserts. Creative points to a new URL: HighmarkRightFit.com. 

The effort will run all year and will be supplemented with other creative iterations: AEP (Annual Enrollment Period) and N2M (New To Medicare), the latter targeting people retiring or turning 65. Digital and pre-roll videos will begin running in West Virginia in October.

The company currently covers the insurance needs of 4.5 million members in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and West Virginia. Its diversified businesses serve group customer and individual needs across the United States through dental insurance, vision care, and other related businesses.