Sapna Desai on how ManipalCigna is leveraging AI to personalise customer journeys

Adgully’s AG Talk brings unfiltered insights and thoughts of CEOs, MDs, and CMOs, who have been leading the marketing landscape, and in fact, also laying the ground rules to keep up with the transformative times.

In an ever-evolving insurance landscape, ManipalCigna has consistently stood out by placing customer well-being at the core of its business strategy. As the digital era continues to reshape how brands engage with consumers, the health insurance provider is leveraging innovative strategies to maintain its leadership position. From customer-centric initiatives to seamless digital marketing tactics, ManipalCigna remains committed to its goal of making healthcare accessible and understandable to all.

In this exclusive AG Talk interaction with Adgully, Sapna Desai, Chief Marketing Officer, ManipalCigna, speaks about the brand’s marketing philosophy, the role of digital innovation in shaping the insurance sector, and how they are adapting to the evolving customer landscape. Desai emphasizes the importance of balancing traditional marketing with modern strategies to ensure comprehensive market coverage while staying true to ManipalCigna’s core principles of customer-centricity, trust-building, and health insurance expertise.

What is the core principle behind ManipalCigna’s marketing strategy?

At the heart of ManipalCigna’s strategy, we believe that marketing should enable sales by bringing our vision to life. Our strategy believes that marketing is the glue that binds the organization. We aim is to improve the health, well-being and peace of mind of those we serve by focusing on our core principle of customer being the customer’s voice in the organization. Our approach focuses on influencing the proposition by itself and bringing it to the market, by ensuring that we participate in a full funnel journey, from awareness to consideration.

Our brand positioning as health insurance expert ensures that we provide not just financial protection, but also valuable support throughout our customers’ healthcare journeys. By prioritizing innovation, expertise, and customer-centricity, ManipalCigna distinguishes itself as a trusted health insurance expert in safeguarding health and financial well-being and providing customers with lifetime access to quality healthcare.

What are the key trends and innovations in digital marketing that you see shaping the insurance industry today? How is ManipalCigna adapting to these changes?

The health insurance industry is being transformed by digital advancements, with AI-driven personalization, data analytics, and omnichannel marketing leading the way. Customers today expect tailored experiences and seamless interactions across multiple platforms. At ManipalCigna, we are embracing these trends by leveraging AI to personalize customer journeys, utilizing data analytics to gain deeper insights into customer behaviour, and adopting an omnichannel approach to ensure consistent and convenient touchpoints. Our digital marketing strategies are designed to be agile and adaptive, allowing us to stay ahead of the curve and meet the evolving needs of our customers.

A recent example of how we incorporated AI technology into our marketing strategy is our “Mini Mindful Moments” campaign in celebration of International Yoga Day. We used generative AI to create a guided meditation, aiming to encourage people to take a moment from the daily hustle-bustle, chaos, and monotony to rejuvenate themselves.

How is ManipalCigna leveraging current trends and innovations in digital marketing to engage with its customers more effectively?

Our customers are present across Bharat. Our key strategy is to create engaging content that resonates with our audience across segments. By analyzing customer behaviour across all our digital channels, we gain valuable insights that allow us to personalize our offerings and enhance customer interactions. Promoting BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance) in rural and semi-rural areas has unique challenges compared to other categories. Our strategy to engage with regional customers focuses on a simple approach:

1. Building Trust is paramount especially in rural areas where financial literacy may be on a lower end compared to metro cities. Our strategy is leverages local influencers who are deeply trusted within their communities.
2. Simplified Messaging is crucial in a jargon heavy industry like health insurance. Direct, simple and easy-to-consume messaging attracts rural consumers. Financial products can be complex, so we simplify our messaging to make it more relatable. For instance, instead of diving into detailed policy features, we focus on the core benefits like “Health Insurance Zaroori Hai” and “Health Hai Toh Life Hai”
3. Education & Awareness is crucial for BFSI sector unlike FMCG or electronics, that are consumed daily and where the benefits are immediately apparent. This sector’s products often require an educational approach.
4. Localized Content, especially in Tier 3 cities and rural India is key. We create content in regional languages and customize it according to local customs and practices. For instance, a campaign in Uttar Pradesh might focus on how health insurance can help during traditional family events like weddings or festivals.
5. Channel Strategy enables us to focus on the most appropriate channel of messaging. While digital channels are growing in importance, traditional media like radio, OOH, local TV, and community events still play a crucial role in rural areas. For our brand, we ensure a balanced mix of both.
6. Partnerships with Local Entities such as local NGOs and Panchayats ensure deeper reach and credibility.

How do you balance traditional marketing methods with digital strategies to ensure comprehensive market coverage?

Balancing traditional and digital marketing is essential to reach a diverse audience effectively. A consumer in today’s world is interacting with traditional and digital marketing seamlessly, often getting a blended experience. They are searching online and buying offline. With a focus on customer journey, we build our messaging to be consistent across all the channels to ensure a balanced approach. We incorporate all the tools essential tools in our communication as and when the industry evolves.

BFSI brands often rely heavily on celebrities for their communication strategies. How does ManipalCigna’s approach differ from others?

Celebrity endorsements in a service industry help break through the clutter, enhancing brand visibility and give a better media ROI. Our positioning of health insurance expert resonated with customers when we onboarded Manoj Bajpayee, an expert in his field, as our brand ambassador. One thing we believe in is that our brand messaging should be at the centre and the celebrity compliments the messaging and takes it ahead. Our primary focus is on what we are and what we stand for, and the secondary is on the messaging that the celebrity conveys to our customers.

What is your strategy to engage with fin-fluencers or the influencer community, especially following Government regulations?

Navigating the evolving landscape of financial influencers, particularly in light of stricter Government regulations, requires a careful and strategic approach. Here’s a checklist that brands like ours should follow before associating with financial influencers:

1. Industry Expertise: Choose influencers with recognized knowledge, especially in BFSI or healthcare, to ensure accurate information.
2. Content Authenticity: Review the influencer’s past content for consistency, accuracy, and transparency in disclosing partnerships.
3. Disclose Partnerships: Ensure all sponsored content is clearly marked in line with ASCI guidelines.
4. Audience Fit: Verify the influencer’s audience aligns with your target market using social media analytics or agency-provided data.
5. Engagement Quality: Focus on meaningful engagement over follower count, assessing comments and shares for trust and relevance.
6. Content Style: Ensure the influencer’s tone matches your brand’s values—promoting financial well-being responsibly.
7. Educational Focus: Prefer influencers who emphasize financial literacy over trends or quick fixes, aligning with your mission.
8. Reputation Check: Conduct background checks for controversies or risks, using social listening for any negative sentiment.
9. Crisis Management: Have a plan for handling backlash or regulatory issues, including pre-approved content checked by compliance.
10. Pre-approve & Monitor: Regularly pre-approve content and monitor ongoing posts for compliance and alignment with your brand.
11. Long-term Potential: Look for long-term partnership opportunities to ensure consistent messaging and build trust over time.

Could you share how ManipalCigna collects and utilizes customer insights to inform its marketing and product development strategies?

Customer insights are the backbone of both our marketing and product strategies. We employ a multi-faceted approach to gathering insights, combining customer feedback with constant market research to ensure we are always in tune with evolving customer needs and market trends. Our Brand Health Track is a key tool in this process, allowing us to monitor our positioning in terms of brand awareness, consideration, and customer sentiment. This helps us understand how we’re perceived in the market and enables us to fine-tune our messaging to enhance brand visibility and appeal.

What role do you see for sustainable and socially responsible marketing practices in the future of ManipalCigna’s branding efforts?

Sustainable and socially responsible marketing is becoming increasingly important, and ManipalCigna is committed to integrating these practices into our branding efforts. The BFSI sector is truly committed to sustainability and social responsibility, especially during the Covid-19 Pandemic, with BFSI companies focusing on 3 important things – Connection, Communication, and Care. Building trust is foremost for a commodity like Health Insurance. Transparency and Simplicity play a pivotal role and are consistent across all our communication.

Our focus on preventive healthcare is a key aspect of our sustainable marketing strategy. We believe that by encouraging healthy lifestyles and early detection of health issues, we can improve overall well-being and reduce healthcare costs. Our campaigns aim to educate consumers about the importance of regular check-ups and proactive healthcare management.

What are your expectations for the second half of the financial year, particularly the festive quarter?

Customers often see festivals as an auspicious time for making financial decisions. Our festive marketing plans this year revolves around themes of health, well-being, and peace of mind. We’re focusing on the message that good health is the foundation of a happy and prosperous life. Our communication will emphasize the importance of health insurance as a crucial part of financial planning. We plan to leverage digital platforms extensively, employing targeted ads, social media campaigns, and influencer partnerships to enhance our reach. We are incorporating more regional content, interactive digital experiences, and personalized offers to engage with our diverse customer base. During festive season, we also engage with our distributors and customers with personalized creatives and messages, which eventually enable sales.

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