Express Scripts campaign Peace of Mind 1

Targeted design strategy helps influence change

Overview

Express Scripts is the largest pharmacy benefits management (PBM) company in North America administering the prescription drug benefits of millions of health plan members in the US and Canada.

Managing the prescriptions of older adults who take several medications can be cumbersome and costly. Express Scripts therefore wanted to encourage more of those members to switch to generic drugs and sign up for its online pharmacy service.

Insights

  • Express Scripts provides services to three distinct older consumer groups – Baby Boomers (under 65) are more apt to go online, while the Silent Generation (65 to 85) and the GI Generation (85 and older) don’t typically have computers. They would instead ask a family member to handle this for them or would show up at the pharmacy every month.
  • We discovered the most meaningful benefits to these consumers for making the switch — (1) online refills of any medication means that they will never run out and (2) moving from brand name to generic drugs saves them money (a boon to retirees on fixed incomes).
  • Safety and convenience are high priorities with these consumers.
  • The older we get the more resistant we are to change.

Obstacles

  • Convincing this audience that ordering their medications online is safe and reliable would be a significant barrier.

Strategy

We developed a communication strategy that targeted the three key consumer groups with a goal of convincing each to fill their prescriptions online to receive by mail.

  • The campaign theme, “Peace of Mind”, reinforced safety and convenience and helped reassure older insurance-plan participants that online prescription services were right for them.
  • A design scheme was built for each of the three target audiences using bold, easy-to-read type, muted colors and eye-catching photography that reflected the lifestyle of each age group.

Results

  • The campaign generated rave reviews from both internal and external audiences and helped Express Scripts achieve its conversion goal.