Medicare Open Enrollment

Medicare Open Enrollment is an annual period from October 15 to December 7, during which Medicare beneficiaries can review and make changes to their health and prescription drug plans for the upcoming year. It provides an opportunity for beneficiaries to ensure their plans align with any changes to plans themselves or in their own health status or prescription drug requirements.

My agency helps the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services execute an outreach campaign every year that encourages beneficiaries to check their plan on Medicare.gov. The central theme, consistent but creatively adapted each year, emphasizes the dynamic nature of plans, urging seniors to stay informed even if they don’t plan on switching.

Our digital-focused strategy encompasses a spectrum of channels, including TV, search, YouTube, and social media ads, along with print placements in magazines and newspapers. However, the heaviest lift is the creation of a diverse set of animated display ads—usually around 20-30, each adapted to 5-7 different sizes. With just 6-week window from initial concepting to our first asset delivery, we need to produce a high volume of materials in a short amount of time. Every efficiency must be exploited to ensure high quality of work.

Despite Medicare’s limited branding, we internally devised a campaign-style guide for cohesion within our production team. However, when it comes to display ads, Medicare prefers a less branded approach, allowing it to appeal in different styles to effectively reach a broad spectrum of beneficiaries.