UnitedHealthcare Ad Tries to Repair Image

Bruised by publicity around the murder of CEO Brian Thompson, UnitedHealthcare has a new ad focusing on employees. Students can analyze the ad as a strategy for repairing brand image.

With the title “Committed to Care,” the commercial shows a diversity of employees. They speak of their commitment to the company and to serving customers. They look like average people—like one of us—not polished executives in fancy offices wearing fancy clothes. They talk about the heartache and challenges in their own lives of being different and having family members with health problems. They (and their kids) get emotional.

Clearly, the purpose is to humanize UnitedHealthcare—to counter criticism, particularly about denying claims. Critics say the company relies on algorithms, so this ad emphasizes actual people and their feelings.

Students might identify primary and secondary audiences and communication objectives for the ad. They might cite specific objectives, for example, increasing enrollment and lowering cancellation rates, and broader objectives, for example, improving talent acquisition and ensuring executives’ safety.

Given the anger at UnitedHealthcare and support for Thompson’s alleged murderer, the company has a lot of work to do. Students might consider the timing of this ad, about 16 months after the shooting. That’s probably enough time to avoid criticism about reactivity and spin. With an immediate response, the company also might have appeared dismissive, lacking compassion for Thompson’s death. Yet not too much time has passed that the company has missed the moment—the opportunity to present another side of employees’ work.