BLOOMFIELD, Conn. (Business Wire) -- B-to-B Magazine has honored CIGNA's Michael Showalter as one of its 2008 Top Marketers of the Year for his leadership role in developing a comprehensive marketing campaign and corporate rebranding effort to help simplify health care. The campaign, one of the most significant ever undertaken by CIGNA, included not only mass media advertising, but also several consumer education programs designed to help people better understand how to improve their health and take the best advantage of the health care plan available to them. The company's programs also include innovative use of online sites such as Facebook.
“It's imperative that our industry recognize that the health care system could be improved,” said Showalter, CIGNA's vice president for strategy and marketing. “At CIGNA, we know that we can't reform the health system overnight, but we can start the reform process.”
Showalter chose Doremus, a New York-based advertising company, to create the campaign entitled “It's time to feel better.” The campaign directs consumers to www.itstimetofeelbetter.com, an interactive Web site offering consumer health tips and health care education. The television commercials ran in Georgia and Colorado on cable and broadcast, while print ads appeared across the nation.
Showalter also recognized the value in emerging media and sponsorships, leading an online advertising campaign on ESPN and Yahoo and reaching out to consumers using non-traditional media like video games, Second Life and Facebook.
“We want to involve individuals in the process,” said Showalter. “They can help us get our health care system working again.”
Showalter joined CIGNA in 2005 from Definity Health, where he pioneered one of the nation's first consumer-driven health plans, bringing extensive consumer marketing background to the company.
CIGNA (NYSE:CI), a global health service company, is dedicated to helping people improve their health, well-being and security. CIGNA Corporation's operating subsidiaries provide an integrated suite of medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy and vision care benefits, as well as group life, accident and disability insurance, to approximately 47 million people throughout the United States and around the world. To learn more about CIGNA, visit www.cigna.com.
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