News release: National

July 6 , 2005

For information, contact:

Kaiser Permanente National Communications Office

510-271-6437

“Thrive” Ad Campaign Changing Consumer Perceptions of Kaiser Permanente

New Ads Continue to Advocate Healthy Lifestyle: “Be Your Own Cause”

Oakland, CA (July 25, 2005) - Kaiser Permanente's innovative "Thrive" advertising campaign continues with the launch of new ads for the second year beginning July 25th in California. The second round of "Thrive" consists of new television and radio ads, and billboards including a Spanish language version, "Viva Bien".

Continuing the theme of total health and well-being in order to live full happy lives the new television ads will show one man's journey as he takes his first uncertain steps toward living a healthier life, a reinterpretation of the signs in our daily lives, and a belief that individual change can lead to societal change. Magazine, newspaper, and radio will focus on everyday things that people can do to improve their health. "Thrive" billboards will remind commuters to eat their fruits and vegetables and when necessary, "chill" as a way to maintain total health.

The goal of the "Thrive" campaign has been to raise awareness of Kaiser Permanente in the minds of consumers and purchasers, and to increase their willingness to consider Kaiser Permanente as their health care provider. After the debut of the ads last year, the "Thrive" ads are now in the top 10 percent of all health and health insurance advertising in terms of recognition, making the connection between the ad and Kaiser Permanente, and likeability. Research also shows the campaign has already significantly changed consumer perceptions, showing an increase in non-members' perceptions of Kaiser Permanente as "being serious about proactively keeping people healthy, and making you feel secure that your health care needs will be met."

"We want consumers to understand who we are and what we stand for," said Bernard Tyson, senior vice president, brand strategy and management. "The success of the message of health and prevention can be measured in how it has galvanized our employees, physicians, and the marketplace. "Thrive" is now the rallying cry for how we care for our members. When we say 'may you live long and thrive' we really mean it."

"Thrive" has become the lens through which wide-ranging Kaiser Permanente initiatives are framed, among them:

KP HealthConnect - this electronic initiative underway integrates patients' clinical records with appointment, registration and billing. This electronic system will be able to monitor preventive-care measures for each patient and provide health reminders to patients and providers.
Food Policy - Work is underway to become a model for the industry and the nation promoting healthy food choices in inpatient food services, cafeterias, vending machines, food carts and catered meals.
Farmer's Markets - Twenty-five Kaiser Permanente facilities in Northern and Southern California, Hawaii, Colorado, and Georgia have established on-campus farmer's markets offering healthy produce to employees and members. More are in the planning stages.
Health and wellness classes provide instruction in exercise, yoga, tai chi, smoking cessation, mindfulness, stress reduction, and many other topics. Special programs managing chronic diseases are also offered to members with diabetes, heart disease and asthma.
Healthy Eating, Active Living Community Benefit programs devote several hundred million dollars in services and funding to community organizations to promote the overall health of communities in which Kaiser Permanente is located.
Educational Theatre - A new production "The Amazing Food Detective" has been developed with the California Nutrition Network teaching healthy eating habits to elementary school-age children.
Research - Kaiser Permanente's Garfield Memorial Fund has directed $2.4 into eight new weight-management projects.
Online Health Tools for weight loss, nutrition, stress reduction and smoking cessation are now available.

Campbell-Ewald, the nation's sixth largest advertising agency, based in Detroit, is the creative team behind "Thrive".

Kaiser Permanente is America's leading integrated health plan. Founded in 1945, it is a not-for-profit, group practice prepayment program with headquarters in Oakland, Calif. Kaiser Permanente serves the health care needs of about 8.3 million members in 9 states and the District of Columbia. Today it encompasses the not-for-profit Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and their subsidiaries, and the for-profit Permanente Medical Groups. Nationwide, Kaiser Permanente includes approximately 141,000 technical, administrative and clerical employees and over 12,000 physicians representing all specialties.

http://www.kaiserpermanente.org