The company's pilot program last year increased customer engagement 134%. JL
Patrick Kulp reports in Ad Week, Image by Mark Mirko in the Hartford Courant:
The pharmacy chain has teamed up with IBM Watson Advertising to create a campaign of personalized mobile messaging that attempts to identify and target at-risk areas before the flu hits. The tech behind the outreach factors in data sources like weather forecasts, anonymized health information, search ads and social feeds in an effort to anticipate flu outbreaks up to two weeks in advance. In 2020, “utilizing IBM Watson’s AI-powered tool, we had the ability to predict flu risk down to a U.S. zip code."With flu season bearing down and the pandemic still in full swing, CVS is rolling out new ways to encourage customers to get their flu shots using artificial intelligence (AI).
The pharmacy chain has teamed up with IBM Watson Advertising to create a campaign of personalized mobile messaging that attempts to identify and target at-risk areas before the flu hits. The tech behind the outreach factors in data sources like weather forecasts, anonymized health information, search ads and social feeds in an effort to anticipate flu outbreaks up to two weeks in advance.
“We wanted to give information to consumers that would put their minds at ease, that would give them a greater heads up and be more predictive in nature so that they could be proactive versus reactive when the likelihood of flu was going to be high in their areas,” said IBM Watson Advertising CMO Randi Stipes.
CVS previously employed the system last year in what proved to be an especially-mild flu season. The company found some combination of the campaign and an increased consumer focus on health and wellness due to the pandemic led to a 134% year-over-year boost in engagement with CVS’ Flu Risk Insight digital card in fall and winter 2020.
“Utilizing IBM Watson’s AI-powered tool, we had the ability to predict flu risk down to a U.S. zip code, enabling us to leverage predictive illness data and promote awareness and recommendations for flu prevention within those at-risk communities,” said CVS CMO Norman de Greve. “As a result, we were able to reach consumers with targeted messaging and help them conveniently access resources from their local pharmacy or make an appointment for a flu shot.”
Because flu transmission is often dependent on cold and dry conditions, weather forecasts can be a significant predictor of where an outbreak might occur next, according to IBM. The company pairs that information with medical data pulled from doctor reports and anonymous patient information as well as various online sources to train a machine-learning algorithm to produce a 15-day flu forecast.
Unlike data provided by the Centers For Disease Control—which is also factored into IBM’s algorithm—Stipes said IBM’s system is able to offer real-time data and predict outbreaks before they happen. “The differentiator here is that we’re using AI to get ahead of it, and actually give users greater visibility into when they’re going to be at the greatest flu risk,” Stipes said.
Outside of flu season, de Greve said CVS also partners with IBM Watson on advertising other over-the-counter cough and cold medications based on behavioral data. The company also hopes to expand its advertising operation into other health conditions at some point in the future.
“We were impressed by the speed of IBM’s AI and the ability for it to handle massive amounts of data. We felt there was an opportunity, that hadn’t been on the radar before, that could transform the way we go to market with our advertising,” de Greve said.
He noted the approach could possibly be used in the future to help identify communities at high risk for chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease.
“Pinpointing at-risk communities would allow us to tailor and target our outreach to meet consumer needs and improve public health outcomes,” de Greve added.
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