Medicare Advantage plan in Minnesota in year one
health plan members over seven years
exceeded new membership goal
winner
The Challenge
Despite being beloved by current members, UCare faced low brand awareness and misperceptions about who they actually served. As consumers struggle to differentiate between health plans, UCare needed to highlight their unique human-centered approach while attracting Minnesota’s culturally diverse populations.
Faceless corporate entities
Consumer research revealed it was virtually impossible for people to differentiate brands in the health plan space. The giants dominated market share and awareness, while scrappy UCare, although beloved by its own members, was largely overlooked. Widespread misperceptions existed that UCare was only for University of Minnesota employees and students or was a state-run program, further limiting consideration among potential members.
People don’t just need a plan, they need someone in their corner
We discovered UCare’s true differentiator: their team’s authentic and zealous advocacy for members was something no competitor could match. UCare wasn’t just another health insurer–they were real people committed to supporting members’ unique healthcare journeys. Their teamwork, hustle and genuine concern for members were qualities that couldn’t just be claimed–they needed to be demonstrated.
The Idea
We made UCare’s humanity impossible to ignore. A five-person tandem bicycle became the campaign’s visual backbone — a moving metaphor for teamwork and advocacy that showed up at community events, health fairs, and across the state. The “People Powered Health Plans” campaign didn’t claim UCare was different. It proved it.
The TV spots opened the door, but the campaign lived everywhere Minnesotans did. Events, out-of-home, newspaper, digital — every touchpoint reinforced the same truth. UCare wasn’t a faceless corporation. It was your neighbor, your advocate, your team. By the time the campaign was fully in market, there was no corner of Minnesota where you couldn’t feel the people behind the plan.
People Powered Health Plans
From community health fairs to neighborhood signup events, we brought UCare to life in person — with the iconic five-person tandem bike on-site for photos, real UCare team members answering questions, and an open invitation for Minnesotans to see exactly who was behind their health plan.
