In last week's column I wrote about anti-healthcare reform ad campaigns. And boy, did I get a lot of feedback. Many who commented on the column (Scare Tactics the Standard for Anti-Healthcare Reform Ads) and on the MarketShare blog agreed: Some anti-reform ads might be nasty and misleading, but they are effective.
This week, I watched a bevy of pro-healthcare reform ads. And if the anti-reform ads are rocky road, the pro-reform ads are vanilla.
Many (if not most) of the pro-reform ads use the testimonial style approach and hit upon the same themes using the same catch phrases with gloomy music playing in the background. The effect of this sameness is that there's no sense of wide-spread, bi-partisan support from a variety of different groups, organizations, and individuals.
Take, for example, a campaign from the pharmaceutical industry trade group, PhRMA, and the non-profit pro-reform group Families USA. It's a classic testimonial ad with seemingly unrehearsed stories from real people.
"When you lose your job, and you lose your healthcare, you feel hopeless."
"I'm not interested in a handout. I'm interested in healthcare coverage that I can afford for my family."
"My husband has a heart condition. And we can't afford for him to see a cardiologist."
The "It's Time" campaign from the Democratic National Committee is nearly indistinguishable, featuring the same tight head shots of ordinary folks telling their sad tales.
"When I lost my job, I lost my health insurance, too."
"My insurance company wouldn't fully cover me when I got sick."
"My father-in law walks with a limp, because he didn't have healthcare."
A third ad, "Illness," from the health insurance industry trade group AHIP, has the same flavor and delivers the same message but deviates slightly from the formula with voiceover narration. (Same depressing music playing in the background, though.)
"Illness doesn't care where you live. Or if you're already sick. Or if you lose your job. Your health insurance shouldn't, either," the narrator says, as photographs and videos of people who represent Americans at risk play on the screen. "So let's fix healthcare. If everyone's covered, we can make healthcare as affordable as possible. And the words pre-existing condition become a thing of the past."
OK, now I feel like I'm repeating myself.
So here's my question (it's the same as last week, in fact): Do the pro-reform ads work? More importantly, do they work as well as the anti-reform ads? Is a clear, consistent message better than attention-grabbing creative concepts and claims?
Head on over to the MarketShare blog to watch the videos of these and other ads let us know what you think.
Note: You can sign up to receive HealthLeaders Media Marketing, a free weekly e-newsletter that will guide you through the complex and constantly-changing field of healthcare marketing.