Humana & Virgin Group Develop Innovative Loyalty Program
05/30/2005
Rewards programs, sometimes called loyalty programs, are old hat to marketers. However, here's a new twist to that game...a program for staying healthy that gives you lower health insurance premiums and airline tickets as incentives. Divas this gives exercise a whole new meaning and as a small biz owner, whose health insurance takes a huge bite from the ole budget, I could get into this one!
Humana, one of the big guns in healthcare, is teaming up with the wild and crazy but brilliant Sir Richard Branson, CEO of UK's Virgin Group. Virgin Life Care, a new health insurance product, that will be Virgin-branded and Humana administered, is scheduled to launch in 2006.
According to Mike McCallister, President & CEO of Humana, it's not the docs nor the government that will change healthcare. "Consumers are the key to transforming health care in the U.S. ...we're giving cash for healthiness." Wouldn't it be a hoot if a marketing reward program turned the tide of rising healthcare costs in the States when the docs and government could not?
Mister McCallister and Sir Richard here's a Diva Marketing idea for your health clubs...how about giving patron access to the internet and MP3 players for downloading podcasts or walk abouts to listen to while they're exercising?
Diva Challenges
1. Explore unconventional partnerships
2. Add a new twist to a traditional strategy
3. Think Big. Think BIGGER. Think Way Far Out of The Box.
Check out the interview with Mike McCallister and Sir Richard Branson about their new venture. And more about Virgin Life Care. Hmmm, wonder why a hip dude like Sir Richard isn't blogging...
