York Morris Communications

It's Safe to Ask
-WEA Trust

Objectives
WEA Trust, health insurer for Wisconsin public school employees, was committed to educating plan members about medical quality and error.

Our goal was to help members receive better care by being more knowledgeable and proactive on their own behalf. Reducing medical error also helps reduce health care costs.

Situation
According to the Institutes of Medicine, as many as 98,000 Americans die each year from preventable medical errors. Many more are harmed by mistakes or poor quality care. Unfortunately, very few people are aware of the prevalence of the problem.

From secondary research, we learned more about public awareness and attitudes regarding errors in health care. We also reviewed existing research on the most effective messages for communicating about medical issues. Studies indicated people are more responsive to health-related messages that use fear to motivate.

More Information Was Needed
Because of the complexity of the issue, we conducted primary research among our members to gain insights about awareness, beliefs and attitudes—and to test different messages.

What we learned from a series of focus groups led to major changes in our planning. People who had little experience with health care refused to believe there was a problem. Those with more contact with the system knew about medical error and believed it had to be addressed.

Messaging using fear scored extremely low as a motivator. Instead, focus group participants wanted to be told that it’s ok—it’s their responsibility—to be more proactive and to ask questions of their providers. Also, they wanted to feel empowered—that they could impact quality of care they and their families receive.

Strategy
Our primary strategy was to raise awareness, then provide information, resources and tools for members to use as they became more involved in their own health care.

Tactics

• We drafted a message platform and talking points for communicating about medical error with various publics.

• A series of articles were published in the Trust’s newsletter (circulation, 70,000).

• An educational brochure for members included a series of checklists for specific situations, such as what to ask: during your annual physical, when a medical procedure has been recommended or when a new medication is prescribed. Brochure included in samples.

• We asked Dr. Brad Manning, president of the Wisconsin Medical Society, to provide a letter for use in the brochure, “giving permission” for readers to ask questions and be more involved.

• Trust staff viewed a presentation about the issue and campaign, and customer service staff was trained to respond to member questions.

• A section of the Trust web site provided information and resources for plan members and a PowerPoint presentation was developed for internal and external audiences.

Case Study

Sonic Foundry Introduces
ACID Music Software

Situation
Established brand in music recording industry, introducing first mass product, ACID music software, to retail.

• Product was to be introduced at Comdex, the world’s largest trade show.

• Small, unknown software company needed to persuade retail buyers to carry their new Acid software.

  Tactics  

• When the buyers arrived at the Las Vegas airport, they were greeted with limousine drivers holding up signs welcoming “Acid”. Guitar cases and luggage circled the airport carousel with Acid messages painted on the side. At the trade show, protestors passed out flyers encouraging visitors to avoid the Sonic Foundry booth.  Static cling notes with teaser messages were plastered at the trade show facilities and hotels. Trade publicity supported these efforts.

Results 
Sonic Foundry’s booth had record traffic, a “front-page” presence in the show dailies, record sales, national press coverage, a dramatic rise in stock value, a Pushie Award for generating the most buzz at Comdex and a successful sell-in to the retail channels.

One year later, MTV commercials and a national consumer campaign made Acid the number-one selling music software in the country, with a 48% market share. The nearest competitor had only 18%.

Case Study

Orkin Acurid Commercial Pest Elimination Services

Situation
Following the highly successful launch and seven-year record of building the Orkin Agribusiness brand, we were awarded the launch, and communications planning and execution for the company’s new business-to-business brand, Acurid.

Obstacles

• Orkin was identified by most people as a residential service provider; awareness of Orkin’s commercial services was limited.

• Budget and resources limited our ability to reach all six vertical markets prioritized by Orkin.

• Few trade editors and industry influentials were aware of the role pests play in food borne illness and public health. As a result, interest in Acurid topics was limited.
• There was low awareness and understanding of integrated pest management (IPM) among all target audiences. With an emphasis on preventative pest control measures, IPM is the most credible method of pest control and is the only method unanimously endorsed by entomologists.
• Pest infestation was a highly sensitive topic in three of Orkin’s key channels: healthcare, foodservice and food processing.
  
• Orkin Commercial Services had no media placements for three years. Furthermore, targeted trade media didn't cover the topic of pest infestation and disease.
  

Objectives

• Build awareness of Orkin as an expert commercial provider in each channel.

• Establish a competitive point of differentiation.

• Overcome negative perceptions by demonstrating Orkin’s expertise in issues related to pest management.

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•  Because of budget and resource (Orkin) limitations, we recommended targeting only the top three channels year one, adding the additional channels year two.
• Develop individual channel strategies and message platforms.

• Educate target audiences about integrated pest management and its many benefits.         
• Leverage the pest/pathogen connection (a key association Orkin could own) to gain broad interest and exposure.
• Develop solid relationships for Orkin with influential media and industry resources.
• Identify and use existing and Orkin-sponsored research as a catalyst to obtain additional media and industry interest in Orkin messages.
• Developed relationships with key academic resources.
  

_Tactics (Partial List)

Media Relations
We executed a comprehensive media relations campaign, which included the following:

• Established Orkin spokespeople as expert media resources. Ongoing contact with 10 key editors in each of six targeted industries, frequent one-on-one editor briefings.
  

• Maintained regular communication with more than 200 second tier media.
• Developed and distributed a comprehensive reference guide to integrated pest management for media
  

• Crafted a comprehensive press kit and executed a monthly continuity news release program, and made an extensive photo library available to media.
  

Industry Relations
Established a new Acurid Speakers Bureau program comprising modular PowerPoint presentations customizable for each targeted industry and high-visibility speaker placements.

• Sponsored a university/USDA study directly linking pest infestation to food borne illness. We researched and recommended studies representing the greatest potential and we delivered the research results to trade and consumer media.

Education

• Advertorials educating readers about pests and food borne pathogens were placed in leading trade publications.

Results

• More than 500 IPM guides were distributed to media. Editors indicated IPM guide spurred topics, heightened interest in pest-related topics for their publication.

• Gained 29 media placements in the first three months following dissemination of IPM Guide.

• Twenty eight Acurid speaking engagements were placed at key industry forums, including such as the Worldwide Food Exposition, Food Safety Summit, National Sanitation Foundation and Food Safety Congress.