Tom Reid

on August 5, 2010

category: miscellaneous

Chief Healthcare Marketing Strategist

Doing something about data security

Everyone talks about it. But few agencies are doing much about information security.

To be fair, few creative agencies have in-house data processing departments. Because Hacker Group has always taken the approach that data is critically important to the success of our marketing programs, we’ve done our own data processing almost since the beginning of our agency.

And now we’re very proud to announce that we have ISO/IEC 27001 certification.

The non-geek response to this is probably, “Huh?”

ISO/IEC 27001 certification says that our information security processes are under explicit management control. Organizations that adopt ISO/IEC 27001 are formally audited and certified compliant with the standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

What are the benefits to ISO/27001 certification and registration?

• Limits exposure to costly breaches and data loss
• Provides structure for business continuity and growth
• Drives improvements in processes and security controls
• Creates alignment with OECD Guidelines for Security
• Supports compliance with HIPAA, FFIEC, FISMA

This is important to our clients, in particular to our insurance clients, because of HIPAA regulations. HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

Not many companies can say they are ISO/IEC 27001 registered. So having an Information Security Management System (ISMS) is a real competitive advantage.

Having our ISO/IEC 27001 registration means we are now certified to make sure all of our clients proprietary data processing information and customer information is safe-guarded and protected.

 

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Tom Reid

on April 6, 2010

category: direct marketing

Chief Healthcare Marketing Strategist

Boomers and Medicare marketing – hype vs. reality

Medicare marketing specialists are clearing their throats, revving their engines and getting ready to get ready for the influx of Boomers  who will be turning 65 starting in 2011. We have heard all the speculation about Boomers’ attitudes, their hopes and dreams, their innermost insecurities and their dedication to their grandchildren.

What’s implied in all of these articles and blog posts is that, because the quantity of Medicare-eligible people is about to expand, a huge shift in strategy is called for.

I don’t deny that marketers may need to be aware of some generational differences. But the differences between someone born in 1944 vs. 1946 are not nearly as great as many marketing pundits want us to believe. There’s no secret sauce that will make a Boomer respond at a significantly higher rate than the people who have been aging in to Medicare for the past year or two.

Marketing strategy for Medicare should evolve, not wipe the slate clean. It would be suicidal to start from scratch because demographers have labeled your new audience “Boomers.”

This means, if print advertising has given you a satisfactory cost per lead last year, don’t drop it for a completely digital campaign this year.

On the other hand, if you’re not thinking about social media when 46% of online Boomers maintain a social network profile, you’re going to be left in the dust. Maybe not this year, maybe not next. But soon.

Medicare marketing has always been about engaging content and smart targeting within the over-65 audience. That has not and will not change. Boomers will not retire all at once. Some Boomers are much healthier than others. These are the more salient issues for marketers than their status as a large group born in the same cohort.

We need to treat this group more like the individuals they are, as far as possible, and less like a massive market waiting to be exploited.

 

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