Did you know that Americans spend almost five hours a day watching television? That's according to Nielsen's "Total Audience Report" for Q4 2014, and it equates to almost 76 days a year sitting on a couch — so advertisers better make every second worth it for their audience.
Luckily, most brands have noticed that some people really do love classic, inspiring or funny TV ads and have uploaded most of this content to video websites like YouTube in the hopes that people share them via social media. And, they're right. Nothing brings a smile to someone's face like sharing a favorite ad.
We have scoured the Internet for some of the funniest, most inspiring health insurance TV ads. Our list includes carriers and state-based exchanges in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) marketplaces. Take a look, and then share your own favorite health insurance TV spot in the comments below.
10. Highmark: All for health
If you're from Pennsylvania, you know what the visual of the capitol building invokes: pride, the will to persevere and a sense of community spirit. "Let's do anything for health," says the narrator, while the visuals shift to people exercising and health care professionals taking care of patients. And cue the baby at the end, of course.
Highmark, a diversified health and wellness system based in Pittsburgh with affiliates that operate health insurance plans in Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia, makes a 30-second TV spot that's informative, clear and all about health.
9. Independence Blue Cross: Live fearless
Take a kid and have him or her narrate what's happening. Add a dash of inspiring music and stunning visuals, maybe add more tiny kids dancing flamenco, and you've got advertising gold. Tugging at the heart strings — and mentioning the word "free" a few times, which appeals to every American — Independence Blue Cross's TV spot nails it from the very beginning. It offers people the freedom that peace of mind brings when your health and your health insurance are well protected.
8. Blue Cross Blue Shield Association: Open enrollment 2015
This ad gets straight to the point: how to re-enroll in your health exchange in 2015 and how the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association can help consumers do just that. The ad in itself is a very simple presentation that uses icons, charts, photos and animation to show how to enroll, what dates to keep in mind and, of course, what you need to know about BCBS.
Straight to the point with no roundabouts, this ad would make for an excellent video to send to clients via email and share via social media.
Including testimonials in letters that you can show to your clients or prospects (or incorporating these testimonials to your marketing strategy in other ways) can be a great technique to present your value proposition. (Just make sure you stay compliant.)
This TV spot is shot like it's a documentary, presenting individuals' problems, what they did to solve them and how Covered California, the health insurance marketplace in California, helped them get through it. The ad is just 30 seconds long; it's so concise it works.
6. BeWellNM: The accidental spokesman
The New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange, BeWellNM, put out this funny and sometimes over-the-top TV ad. The commercial features a man who is a walking disaster, running into one accident after another.
It's a different ad that catches your attention by how ridiculous the slapstick comedy really is. See if you can identify the lady at the end that the "accident-causing guy" starts flirting with (it's a twist of the writers' cleverness).
