Which pro-healthcare reform ads work for Vibrant Women?

This year’s biggest ad campaign is currently underway, and it’s not for detergent – it’s for (and against) healthcare reform. I’ve written before about what kind of campaign might appeal to women over 50, the ultimate healthcare consumer.

Healthcare reform advocacy faces some inherent challenges. Since we don’t know what the final legislative proposal will be, it’s not possible for either side to say exactly what it’s for or against. It’s also easier to scare than inform, especially in 30-second television ads, which favors the opposition. Boomer women, however, are generally idealistic about life, and resist the negativity and cynicism that informs the opposition. As in many classic marketing campaigns, what inspires men may turn off women; you don’t need to guess which path most marketers choose.

Now that we’re in the middle of this campaign, I thought we should look at some healthcare reform commercials together to consider which advertisers are more likely to win over the Boomer woman. In this blog I’ll start with ads in favor of healthcare reform, then in my next blog we’ll look at ads against healthcare reform.

Ads in favor of healthcare reform

1. The AARP (a VibrantNation.com sponsor) is funding a major campaign in favor of healthcare reform. Its campaign website offers all the information Boomer women welcome in making their own decisions. Its television ads, however, target “special interests” as villains out to kill needed reform. Personally, I think the website is more likely to sway Boomer women than the ads, but want to hear what you think too. 
2. A consortium of liberal and medical groups under the name Americans for Stable Quality Care is running positive but vague ads in favor of healthcare reform. Because most vibrant women are skeptical (if not cynical) I wonder if these ads leave them wondering what questions aren’t being answered: 

    

3. Remember Harry and Louise? They killed healthcare reform 15 years ago, but they’re back in 2009 and have changed their minds. In ads paid for by pharmaceutical companies and advocacy group Families UA, this couple makes their points in what seems to be an unpersuasive and lifeless way: 
4. The Democratic National Committee is running its own negative ad encouraging votes to “Call the Republicans. Tell them you’ve had enough of the mob.” While Boomer women are likely to be angry about the “tea-baggers” who are angrily upsetting public meetings, I think they are also likely to resist a campaign that villainizes the other side without facts. What do you think?

 

Conclusion

In my next post I’ll present ads that oppose healthcare reform to ask how you think they promote their position. Meanwhile, please let us know what you think of the ads posted here!