DICK Malcolm and Cindy Jania of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois recently talked with DIRECT about the company’s marketing strategy in a constantly changing environment. Malcolm, vice president, has been in the insurance business since 1964 and joined the company about 15 years ago when it acquired his former employer, Standard of America. Jania, director of direct markets, who has been with the company since 1986, started her career as a registered nurse specializing in the geriatric community. Malcolm and Jania’s division manages all of the company’s individual health insurance activities for Illinois, as well as its Texas Medicare supplemental insurance business. Half of the Chicago-based unit’s marketing efforts are direct response, while the remainder are promotions for producers such as insurance agents. Roughly half of the DM budget goes toward the approximately 4 million direct mail pieces the company sends annually.
DIRECT: How has the downturn in the economy affected your business?
MALCOLM: We service two very distinct market segments. One is the Medicare supplement marketplace
