Say hello to Petey P. Cup
Posted on May 20th, 2008 – 8:15 AMBy Josephine Marcotty
Who woulda’ thunk — a health plan with a sense a humor.
HealthPartners launched its new advertising campaign yesterday, and the star of the show? Petey P. Cup. Here’s a link to an unexpectedly hilarious video of the big guy getting dressed and trying to make friends with a little dog who wants nothing to do with him. Click on the pee cup picture on the bottom of the left side.
And here’s a picture of the giant pee cup you may see in various locations around the Twin Cities. This one is at the corner of Fourth St. and First Ave., in downtown Minneapolis.
You might also see other giant medical devices — a pill, a tongue depressor, a syringe, and a cotton swab. (The syringe — named Pokey — was supposed to be set up at Metrodome Plaza, but someone nixed that idea when they figured the Yankees might take offense, according to an inside source at HealthPartners.)
The point to all this advertising — an antidote to the usual super-serious fare from health plans — is HealthPartners new web site where you can get test results back within 24 hours if you sign up. The web site also offers other on line services, including scheduling appointments, viewing medical records, refilling prescriptions, or consulting with a doctor.
Even if you don’t go to HealthPartners, say hello to Petey P. Cup if you see him. He might just wave back. With all four fingers.
18 Responses to "Say hello to Petey P. Cup"
This is hilarious. It’s nice to see something different from a health care company.
Pee humor?
None for me…
He’s #1!
Gross!
Of of their syringes is set up in front of the bike racks near the corner of Lyndale Ave S & 34th St.
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it’s refreshing to see something creative coming out of the healthcare industry….
The biggest part of this story has nothing to do with Petey but with the fact that results can be found out in LESS THAN 24 HOURS!!! Nice.
I’m glad to see my premiums being spent wisely. I wonder how many millions of dollars they p!ssed away on this one? Yes, it’s cute, but I don’t get the whole medical and insurance industry. I see advertisements from drug companies all the time for perscription drugs. We can’t buy them, but they want us to beg our doctors to perscribe them to us, so they can make millions. They spend a ton on advertising, driving the price up, and we pay for it all.
Brilliant! Very smart advertising - just look at all the buzz this has generated.
I had a home birth, so my provider came to our home for prenatal visits. I peed in my own plastic cups (dixie or whatever was around), and my results were always available either on the spot (within the hour) or the next day. I never had to wait 24 hours! Just goes to show how small, personal care just can’t be beat. I love how the big HMOs are marketing this as such a great service when small providers already offer it - and probably always have - as a part of their normal business.
gross!
I think it’s funny (gross? too much? over the top?) that the cup is half yellow on the bottom. Realistic detail indeed.JM
Some of these comments are hilarious.
Gross? What’s gross? It’s a 7-foot tall urine sample cup. It’s obviously not filled with urine.
Waste of money? Ha, look at the ads — no Hollywood budgets there. In fact, an argument could be made that this was probably an inexpensive initiative. That makes it smart — good thinking, unexpected executions and inexpensive ink — be it digital or in newspapers.
Absolutely a waste of healthcare dollars. Healthcare doesn’t need marketing. Shame on the HealthPartners makreting for wasting money.
Who are your naysayers kidding? Everyone advertises. This is great advertising. We should be proud of a local, homegrown company doing good things for the community - don’t forget that HealthPartners employs more than 10,000 people locally and their rates the lowest in the region.
Look at NWA and the jobs they are taking away. Or, what about our aiport - it just got rated dead last for large airports by JD Power and associates. The same satisfaction survey just listed HealthPartners as number one. Be proud of our local companies.
And don’t forget the guy at UnitedHealthcare who made billions last year and is still a crook.
So Billy…
You better walk home… Car companies, bike shops and MTC all advertise. When you get home, you should eat something from the garden. restaurants and grocery stores advertise too. In fact, stop reading the paper and watching TV immediately - advertising pays for all that too!
this is brilliant — they’re using guerilla marketing — and the internet (you) — just hoping that people blog about it, talk about, form an opinion about it — just in the hope of next time you or one of the other people you told will schedule their next appointment with HealthPartners. This is a heck of a lot cheaper than advertising on TV…..
