Patients or Population Targets — Kaiser Permanente’s $40 Million “Thrive” Image Campaign

Ever wonder what Kaiser Permanente does with those hefty premium increases that come around every year like clockwork? If Kaiser and its multi-million dollar image consultants had their way, Kaiser members would believe it’s all about the drug companies and unions. It certainly doesn’t help matters that politicians and the media buy into the hype, but the question we often ask is why doesn’t anyone ever challenge Kaiser’s wasteful spending habits?

Earlier this year Kaiser paid $40,000,000 to national advertising firm, Campbell-Ewald Co. of Warren, Michigan, for an image campaign designed to change the public’s perception of Kaiser, and to reverse a national decline in membership. Of course it may make sense to you and me that Kaiser’s membership wouldn’t be suffering if members were receiving quality care, timely appointments with ethical doctors, and good service. But rather than put that money back into patient care and training, Kaiser has chosen to invest premium dollars in the mere appearance of a caring, personal and superior Kaiser experience. “Image” by definition is a mental picture of something not real.

And what did Campbell-Ewald discover for $40 million?:

“75% of people who are offered Kaiser Permanente probably or definitely would not consider [Kaiser] for their healthcare coverage.” (Attention Kaiser Executives: we could have told you this for free!).

And the end result?:

“Doctors’ roles are shifted to the last line of defense.” (Don’t expect that appointment any time soon!).

Read the entire ad campaign, due to come out shortly, and find out if you and your family are in Kaiser’s “target population.” At Managed Care Watch we believe the American Public is too smart to fall for this rubbish. It’s social engineering, pure and simple, and it’s appalling.

Selected quotes about Kaiser’s “Thrive” (false) advertising campaign, from Kaiser’s own internal Brand Advertising FAQ:

“The company portrayed in these ads is not the KP that I know. We spend most of our time taking care of sick people. And KP doesn’t do much to help its own employees ‘thrive,’ either. Do we really live up to the slick marketing image in these ads”?

“…the campaign is expensive — about $40 million for the next 12 months (the average 30-second commercial during prime time costs $116,000).”

“It is ultimately even more expensive to let opinions of our brand languish or deteriorate with nonmembers.”

“The ad is clearly a statement of KP’s beliefs and philosophy rather than a list of covered benefits or services. The ad does not specifically prompt the viewer to become a KP member. In fact, the language in the ad does not mention a ‘plan’ or ‘coverage’ at all”

“If you encounter the rare patient who takes the ads more literally, you can explain that many of the activities referenced in the ad are intended to be part of member self-care rather than services covered by KP insurance and provided at KP facilities.”

“A reasonable consumer would not conclude that KP covers everything mentioned in the ad.”

Read the internal document for yourself. Then why not give Kaiser Permanente CEO George Halvorson a call to tell him you are not as stupid as he thinks you are:

• George Halvorson
  CEO, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program
  (510) 271-5660
  george.c.halvorson@kp.org

UPDATE 8/4/04 — Just when you thought the Brand Baloney couldn’t get any more absurd, lo and behold, Kaiser managed to sink even lower.

Quotes from a KP Thrive presentation called Kaiser Permanente’s Brand Advertising:

Kaiser’s “Approach”:

“Emotional connection, not fact-based argument.”

“Imagery, not specific statements about services; let the audience ‘connect the dots.'”

Target:

“This group is predominantly young, single, and often male.”

Racial Profiling:

“Deliberately less edgy than the English-language ads; includes more images of health care delivery (Latino consumers tend to be less cynical about ‘health care’).”

If you feel you have been discriminated against or racially profiled by Kaiser in any way, and would like to share your story, please Contact Us

Advertising Fraud:

“The ads deliberately use different language and imagery than we would use to describe and celebrate our successes internally.”

Feeling Brand Brainwashed yet? You are getting very sleepy…