CareFirst Selects CK/HS

CHICAGO CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield has selected Cramer-Krasselt/Hampel Stefanides as its lead advertising agency, the shop confirmed.

“We’re excited about working with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield because of their strong commitment to improving the health and wellness of their members and community,” said agency general manager Jeff Johnson, in a statement. “It gives us a great opportunity to positively impact the nature of healthcare advertising, creating a paradigm shift in the conversation with the customer.”

The client serves more than 3 million customers in the mid-Atlantic region, primarily in Northern Virginia, the District of Columbia and Maryland. The agency’s first work is expected to break in the fall.

CareFirst’s previous agency was Havas’ Arnold in McLean, Va. CK/HS is the New York office of Chicago-based independent Cramer-Krasselt.

CareFirst spent just over $4 million last year in domestic measured media, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus.