Aflac helps small-business clients navigate health care reform

Insurance provider Aflac provides health insurance and benefits-related services to small businesses. During the rollout of the health care reform last year, however, the company found that the majority of its small-business customers did not fully grasp the complexity of the Affordable Care Act. In fact, they felt paralyzed at the prospect of educating their employees about it. 

Aflac stepped in to help, launching an integrated campaign that leveraged media relations, advertising, social media, employee communications, and external marketing and reached a national business audience. 

The campaign team set up an informational website, a blog, and a Health Care Reform Toolkit, as well as launching an online and print campaign and direct marketing materials. Website materials included a vitally important Health Care Reform Essentials Guide and Employer’s Guide, among others. The Toolkit provided practical tools, like ready-to-use email and letter templates for employers that fulfilled the Affordable Care Act’s communication requirements and a PowerPoint presentation comprised of a health care reform overview and FAQs. 

The company saw huge increases in visits to its online sites, a boost in account growth, and reports of overall satisfaction among clients. Media coverage of Aflac’s research findings resulted in 700 traditional media and 275 social media placements, with a total of 366,206,680 impressions. 

Hill+Knowlton Strtegies and Aflac win the prize for Best Integrated Marketing Communications in PR Daily’s 2014 Media Relations Awards for the way it seized an opportune moment to both educate a national small-business audience and raise its profile as an industry thought leader. Congratulations to the winning team.