‘WHAT REFORMS MEANS FOR YOU’…. Not a moment too soon, a $12 million ad campaign kicked off this morning in support of health care reform. While some of the pro-reform ads have been better than others, I happen to like this one.
It’s a 30-second ad, featuring a male narrator who, if I’m not mistaken, appeared in many of the Obama campaign’s ads. For those who can’t watch clips online, the script reads, “What does health insurance reform mean for you? It means you can’t be denied coverage for a pre-existing condition or dropped if you get sick. It means putting health care decisions in the hands of you and your doctor. It means lower costs, a cap on out-of-pocket expenses, tough new rules to cut waste and red tape and a focus on preventing illness before it strikes. So what does health insurance reform really mean? Quality, affordable care you can count on.”
It’s tricky putting together a 30-second spot that highlights seven different talking points, without making it sound like a laundry list of ideas. This one pulls it off nicely. What’s more, notice the target audience: people who already have insurance, but who may be worried about losing it or getting screwed by their insurance company.
Also interesting is the unexpected coalition of groups financing the effort. Mike Allen reported, “The new group, funded largely by the pharmaceutical industry, is called Americans for Stable Quality Care. It includes some odd bedfellows: the American Medical Association, FamiliesUSA, the Federation of American Hospitals, PhRMA and SEIU, the service employees’ union.”
Their divergent interests notwithstanding, the $12 million investment has the potential to make a significant difference. Allen added, “In a reversal from former President Bill Clinton’s 1993-94 health care debacle, the group’s campaign is likely to mean that White House supporters keep the upper hand on the airwaves.”
Given the landscape, the air support seems to be arriving at the right time.
