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Janet McConnell
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Contributed Photo/Illustration Chattanooga Municipal Airport soon will display a new BlueCross message encouraging exercise by taking the stairs instead of riding the escalator.
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is asking the Volunteer State to join the movement for better health.
The Chattanooga-based insurer has kicked off an advertising campaign called MVMT For Life aimed at spurring Tennesseans to lose weight, get in shape and quit smoking.
“It’s not getting out and running a marathon,” said Janet McConnell, director of marketing communications and brand strategy for BlueCross. “But it’s making simple changes.”
She said the campaign, launched last month, features TV commercials, radio spots and print ads. The use of ‘MVMT’ plays off of a text message abbreviation as the effort tries to appeal to young and old, officials said.
In addition, the insurer has created a Web site, mvmt forlife.com, that allows people to make specific health-related proclamations. For BlueCross members, they can connect via the site with an individual health coach to help them.
In a novel approach to get its message out, BlueCross is vinyl wrapping parts of the stair steps and escalators which lead to the departure gates at the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport lobby.
Ms. McConnell said the idea is to encourage people to take the stairs rather than the escalators.
Airport spokeswoman Christina Siebold said BlueCross is paying $18,000 for the display that’s slated to stay for a year.
“It’s providing a good venue for their message,” she said.
Another action the campaign is taking relates to the TSSAA football championship playoffs, which BlueCross sponsors.
Ms. McConnell said there will be a MVMT For Life parking lot at the Cooke-ville, Tenn., site this year further away from the stadium from where games will be held. Parking in the lot will be free to encourage its use, she said.
Mary Thompson, BlueCross’ manager of media relations, said the health insurer is taking a new tack in its ad strategy.
Instead of running a campaign that is product-specific, MVMT For Life starts a conversation about health, she said.
“It’s taking those first movements toward better health,” Ms. Thompson said.
Mike Pare, the deputy Business editor at the Chattanooga Times Free Press, has worked at the paper for 27 years. In addition to editing, Mike also writes Business stories and covers Volkswagen, economic development and manufacturing in Chattanooga and the surrounding area. In the past he also has covered higher education. Mike, a native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., received a bachelor’s degree in communications from Florida Atlantic University. he worked at the Rome News-Tribune before ...
Blue Cross,
Here's an idea. Stop your silly ads and marketing efforts that only tickle your fancy and stroke your egos, and save that money and reduce my outrageous premiums.
My health would immediately improve as I wouldn't have to work as hard to pay your premiums.
Ditto on the saving the company money to lower premiums. Might try turning off the lights at night on the magestic campus that the government paid millions for in grants and save some power. You could sure pass that one along...
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