Direct Mail Case Studies

Case Study: 003

CLIENT

Cigna Healthcare

CHALLENGE

Cigna HealthCare’s direct marketing promoting it’s Cigna HealthCare for Seniors Medicare-Risk Product were receiving sub-par response. The campaigns were being created by a retained “national ad agency of record.”

A Direct Marketing Consultant was hired to assist, who in turn brought me in as a creative strategist. Halfway through the project, the consultant was informed by management that he was expected to use the agency of record for creative. He resisted, explaining that Direct Marketing is a discipline requiring specialized experience and skill sets. An exception was made, with an agreement to test our campaign strategy head-to head against a new ones from the large agency.

SOLUTION

After reviewing previous efforts, the strategy I created centered around portraying Seniors in a positive, non-traditional light. At the heart of our message were an adventurous couple we named “Howard and Emily.” All images and headlines respected seniors as vitally active with lifestyles that the Medicare Risk product would only benefit. Subheads and call-to action items were especially large, prominent and easily readable.

Because this was a lead generation program, the potential mailing universe was extremely large. So production and mail costs needed to be as economical as possible. I decided on a barrel folding self mailer that, when sealed, qualified for a lower post-card postage rate.

RESULT

Our campaign mailed in an A-B-C-D split, testing against the old control, as well as multiple new campaigns from the agency of record. Our package delivered the highest response rate—and was cheaper to produce and mail—making it the clear winner.

As a result, KROHA was awarded a multi-year retainer to expand the campaign into other media, and then continue assisting in the development of marketing and fulfillment materials for that Cigna product line and others.