SYDNEY: Bupa Australia is embracing the power of content marketing as a brand builder, with a particular focus on Australian mums.
The health company, which has more than six million members in Australia, has re-oriented its marketing strategy from product and service-centred selling to one based on the healthcare needs of potential customers.
The result is a content engine – The Blue Room – that provides practical advice on everyday health issues facing Australians. Topics covered include healthy nutrition, dementia care, post-natal depression and fun activities for kids.
"We didn't build this through a product lens at all – this is built very much on what a customer needs," said John Moore, Director of Marketing – Australia and New Zealand for Bupa. (For more, including how Bupa Australia uses content marketing to build its brand, read Warc's exclusive report: How Bupa uses content marketing to drive sales in Australia.)
The secret sauce in targeting health and care is mothers, according to Moore, who tend to make the healthcare-related decisions in the family.
"She controls about 80% of all decisions – she'll decide for the kids which dentist they go to, which doctor they go to. She'll also decide which health insurer you use. She'll also be heavily involved in what happens when parents get old and need help at that time. We have built our core focus on that segmentation."
The Blue Room was pulled together in six months at the hands of 85 contributors, 21 of whom were in-house at Bupa. A total of 2,500 pieces of content were produced by journalists and through relationships with key online influencers such as bloggers.
"It connects very strongly with our purpose, but we also see that it's a strong starting funnel to where the world's going and how you need to start engaging with your customers – not just talking at them," said Moore.
The health company, which has more than six million members in Australia, has re-oriented its marketing strategy from product and service-centred selling to one based on the healthcare needs of potential customers.
The result is a content engine – The Blue Room – that provides practical advice on everyday health issues facing Australians. Topics covered include healthy nutrition, dementia care, post-natal depression and fun activities for kids.
"We didn't build this through a product lens at all – this is built very much on what a customer needs," said John Moore, Director of Marketing – Australia and New Zealand for Bupa. (For more, including how Bupa Australia uses content marketing to build its brand, read Warc's exclusive report: How Bupa uses content marketing to drive sales in Australia.)
The secret sauce in targeting health and care is mothers, according to Moore, who tend to make the healthcare-related decisions in the family.
"She controls about 80% of all decisions – she'll decide for the kids which dentist they go to, which doctor they go to. She'll also decide which health insurer you use. She'll also be heavily involved in what happens when parents get old and need help at that time. We have built our core focus on that segmentation."
The Blue Room was pulled together in six months at the hands of 85 contributors, 21 of whom were in-house at Bupa. A total of 2,500 pieces of content were produced by journalists and through relationships with key online influencers such as bloggers.
"It connects very strongly with our purpose, but we also see that it's a strong starting funnel to where the world's going and how you need to start engaging with your customers – not just talking at them," said Moore.
Data sourced from Warc
