Protect Your Joy

Tens of millions of Americans live without health insurance.
More than half are people of color.
This lack of access is one of many challenges Black Americans face, particularly in communities
already hard hit by health disparities.
Decades of neglect and unequal treatment by healthcare systems have fostered distrust, so a
campaign about low premiums wouldn’t be enough. Arming people with culturally relevant
information, however, could start rebuilding trust and lead to increased coverage.
So, the campaign provided a new way to think about health insurance.
Instead of protection against something negative, it became a way to safeguard something
positive.
Your joy.
Rather than traumatic and negative portrayals common in the media, the campaign showed
positive representations of African Americans. Simple, truthful scenes of people experiencing
joy empowered consumers to rethink what they’re protecting.
We developed a storytelling ecosystem. Testimonials provided information, while the “Joy”
campaign was designed to resonate emotionally. We then layered existing viral videos with a
HealthCare.gov message and leveraged partnerships with trusted AA wellness influencers to
provide personalized “Joy” content. The result: a carefully choreographed ballet of messaging
that surrounded this consumer via both corporate and culturally relevant channels, winning
both their hearts and their minds.
The campaign helped make the Open Enrollment Period the most successful ever. A
record-breaking 14.5 million people signed up and AA enrollment in HealthCare.gov states
increased by 35%.
Just as importantly, the campaign enabled AA communities to shift the narrative about their
role in the healthcare system.