L.A. Care launches campaign targeting uninsured with La Gente de RLR.

L.A. Care Health Plan recently launched a new advertising campaign targeting low-income Hispanic uninsured families. Nationally recognized advertising agency La Gente de RLR was named agency of record and will be handling all creative development, production and media responsibilities. Through this effort, L.A. Care hopes to reach uninsured families who are eligible for government-sponsored health care programs (such as Medi-Cal and Healthy Families) but are not enrolled for a variety of reasons.

“L.A. Care has a vision of a healthy community made possible by health care that is accessible and responds to people‚s needs in a way they can understand,” said Howard Kahn, CEO of L.A. Care. “Part of that effort is to ensure L.A. County residents know the health care options available to them.”

With nearly 800,000 members, L.A. Care provides health care coverage for low-income and vulnerable populations through Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, and L.A. Care’s Healthy Kids.

“Many of our members are from countries where there is no concept of individual health insurance,” said Andrea Van Hook, L.A. Care’s Communications and Marketing Director. „They are used to broad-based, state-run health programs, and so don‚t realize that in this country, one must sign up for health coverage.‰”

The L.A. Care campaign is unique for U.S.-based health plans in that it was originally conceived and created in Spanish first, rather than in English and then translated. The creative uses citrus oranges in a variety of ways to promote the concept of a healthy lifestyle. Featuring television spots, radio, outdoor advertising, and promotional tie-ins, the media buy is 80% Spanish-language media and 20% English-language. The campaign begins in mid-May and runs through the fall.

“We found it refreshing that L.A. Care decided to focus on the Spanish media first, rather than the other way around,” said Ralph Lacher, La Gente de RLR Principal. “As a result, we believe the creative concept of L.A. Care spreading health‚ is relevant and culturally appropriate for the diversity of Los Angeles.”