HMO Appeals to Women's Concerns

Cadwell Davis this week breaks new work for Foundation Health Services, a Woodland Hills, Calif.-based HMO network hoping to attract female consumers by appealing to personal issues and fears.
The ads, which will appear in New York, Arizona and California, also introduce the universal tagline, “Someone at your side.”
The rationale behind the effort comes from a study by Psychologics, a research firm, which suggests that women make most family healthcare decisions. Ads dealing head-on with issues such as breast cancer would appeal to females 18-49 years old, the study concluded.
“Women make the decisions about a health plan, even if [insurance] comes from the husband’s company,” said Frankie Cadwell, president of Cadwell Davis here.
In one of three 30-second spots, a woman gives herself a breast exam, obscured by a tinted shower door.