Open enrollment (OE) season is arguably the most consequential period for both HR teams and employees. It determines access to healthcare, financial protection, and wellness services for the entire year. Yet, according to MetLife, nearly 60% of employees admit they don’t fully understand the benefits available to them. In a workforce increasingly distributed and distracted, traditional communication—PDFs, dense emails, dry webinars—just doesn’t cut it anymore.
That’s where multimedia campaigns come in. These dynamic, multi-channel approaches use video, SMS, digital postcards, infographics, and microsites to dramatically improve comprehension, engagement, and plan adoption rates. This guide walks you through crafting a multimedia strategy that not only delivers information but drives outcomes.
Why Traditional OE Communication Falls Flat
1. Passive Formats Get Ignored
Employees are inundated with text. Most skip lengthy emails or avoid PDFs unless required.
2. Lack of Repetition
One-and-done announcements don’t drive action. People need multiple, timely reminders.
3. Minimal Accessibility
Intranets may require VPN access. PDFs aren’t always mobile-friendly. Non-desk employees get left behind.
4. One-Size-Fits-All
Messages don’t account for the diversity of roles, languages, or benefit knowledge levels.
“Effective OE communication must be visual, mobile-first, and personalized. It must meet employees where they are.” — Gartner HR Research, 2024
What Is a Multimedia Campaign for Open Enrollment?
A multimedia campaign uses layered content formats across multiple platforms to engage, educate, and activate employees during OE. It’s not just email or a microsite—it’s a synchronized system of visually driven, segmented, and trackable communications.
Key Channels & Tools Include:
Short-Form Videos: Explainers on plan options, deadlines, benefits terms
Digital Postcards: Email- or SMS-friendly graphics driving traffic to a microsite
Microsites: Mobile-accessible OE content hubs
SMS Alerts: Deadline reminders, tool nudges, support prompts
Email Campaigns: Automated, personalized reminders
Decision-Support Tools: Like Flimp Decisions, embedded within campaigns
Strategic Benefits of Multimedia Communication
Better Engagement Metrics
Visual content garners 94% more views than text-only content (Forrester). Video thumbnails in emails increase open and click-through rates significantly.
Faster Comprehension
People process visuals 60,000x faster than text. Multimedia formats—especially videos—distill benefits jargon into easy takeaways.
Increased Tool Usage
Flimp case studies show campaigns that combine digital postcards + video + SMS see 60–75% usage rates on decision-support tools.
HR Efficiency
Clearer content means fewer repetitive questions, reducing ticket volume and freeing HR teams for high-touch support.
Elements of a High-Impact Multimedia OE Campaign
1. Branded Video Series
Welcome Message (60 sec): From HR leader
Plan Comparison (90 sec): PPO vs. HDHP explained
Explainers (60–120 sec): What’s an HSA? How FSAs work?
Testimonials (30–45 sec): Real employees sharing their choice logic
2. Interactive Digital Postcards
HTML-based messages with embedded CTAs and branding. Ideal for:
Plan highlights
Enrollment reminders
Linking to microsites or Flimp Decisions
3. SMS Touchpoints
Best for:
Mid-cycle OE nudges
Final day action alerts
Support access prompts (“Text HELP for a benefits guide”)
4. Personalized Email Series
Segment by employee class:
New hires: Focus on basics + onboarding videos
Existing employees: Focus on changes this year
Union/non-union: Vary plan access language
5. Microsite as the Anchor
All campaign assets should live in a mobile-first OE microsite featuring:
FAQ accordion
Embedded video
Chatbot or HR contact form
Plan document downloads
Decision-support tools
Implementation Timeline
6–8 Weeks Before OE
Finalize campaign goals
Approve messaging and creative briefs
Record or edit OE videos
4–5 Weeks Before OE
Build digital postcards and SMS campaigns
Set up microsite content + tools
Test across browsers/devices
2–3 Weeks Before OE
Launch teaser video + intro postcard
Begin SMS schedule (1/week)
Email campaign: Launch + schedule mid- and late-cycle sends
Final Week
“Last chance” SMS and postcard
OE walkthrough video reminder
HR contact links emphasized
Industry Use Case Comparison
Retail Company (6,000+ hourly workers)
Challenge: Limited digital access, high turnover
Solution: Video series with QR codes on posters in breakrooms, SMS-driven microsite
Results:
49% higher plan completion
82% mobile video view rate
Technology Company (2,200 remote employees)
Challenge: Low HDHP enrollment, confusion over new options
Solution: Personalized video series + Flimp Decisions digital postcards
Results:
33% HDHP plan increase
72% completion of decision-support tool
Best Practices for Employee Education, Awareness, and Training Optimization
1. Use Recognized Sources
Cite organizations like SHRM, Gartner, and MetLife to support insights.
2. Show Firsthand Expertise
Include testimonials, leadership quotes, or campaign insights from your HR team.
3. Ensure Transparency
Disclose deadlines, disclaimers, and compliance notes clearly within microsite and emails.
4. Provide Authoritative Tools
Link to certified decision-support tools, IRS limits, or healthcare.gov pages.
Advanced Accessibility & Compliance Considerations
ADA Compliant: Alt text, keyboard navigation, video captions
Multilingual Campaigns: Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog—mirror content in multiple languages
HIPAA-Friendly: No PHI collection via microsite or SMS; always link out to secure portals
WCAG 2.1 Alignment: Contrast ratios, accessible font sizes, skip navigatio.
Expanded FAQs
What’s the ideal frequency for OE multimedia content?
Plan for 4–6 touchpoints across the OE window, spaced weekly. A pre-campaign teaser, launch announcement, 2–3 educational follow-ups, and a final reminder. Repetition improves retention.
Can I use multimedia without a large internal team?
Yes. Vendors like Flimp offer turnkey video production, microsite setup, and campaign distribution. Pre-built content libraries can reduce the lift for internal teams.
How can I justify the cost of a multimedia campaign?
Use ROI metrics such as increase in HDHP enrollments (often lower cost), reduced support ticket volume, and higher employee satisfaction scores from post-OE surveys.
How do I track campaign performance in real time?
Use built-in analytics dashboards for:
Email open/click rates
Video watch time
Microsite visits by device
Tool completion rates
What multimedia formats work best for blue-collar or offline workers?
Short-form videos delivered via QR code posters, SMS links to mobile-friendly content, manager-facilitated video sessions during shift changes.
How can I make plan details less overwhelming?
Use plan comparison infographics, animated breakdowns, and clear benefit tiers (“Good, Better, best”) to simplify.
What’s the role of managers in campaign distribution?
Equip managers with OE toolkits including links, printed postcards, FAQ cheat sheets, and video walkthroughs. They’re your frontline influencers.
Conclusion
Multimedia campaigns aren’t just a trend—they’re the future of benefits communication. They align with how employees consume content, reduce confusion, and give HR professionals real data to optimize strategy. Whether your team is remote, hybrid, unionized, or dispersed across shifts, multimedia brings clarity and action to open enrollment.
By deploying smart, segmented campaigns that blend visuals, mobile channels, and interactivity, you empower employees to make informed choices—leading to healthier outcomes and happier workplaces.
Ready to upgrade your open enrollment experience? Explore Flimp’s full suite of multimedia campaign tools.