Nomination for PR News' award an honor, reinforcement for fostering social media conversation
Andrew Hetzel
| 2 min read
A health insurance company’s blog. Yuck, right? Insurance really doesn’t get you up in the morning. We get that. But health insurance companies, like ours, are about more than the product we sell and service. We’re made up of people, who live in local cities and towns, and care about our neighbors and our shared future. That’s what www.ahealthiermichigan.org is about. A Healthier Michigan was started by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan as a way for people to have real conversations with other people about ways to create that healthier future we all desire – for ourselves, our communities and our society. We have opened a forum where registered dietitians can blog about the real challenges facing people who want to eat healthier. Our blog is also a place where parents can share ideas for the best ways to get kids ready to go back to school. Our community is sharing what their organizations are doing to make our Michigan hometowns more fun, and ideas about how to improve our future. Let’s face it – we are all better off working together to create a healthier tomorrow. And if Blue Cross can foster a dialogue, and not sit on the sidelines, we can help grow that conversation. We received news Monday that A Healthier Michigan is one of five finalists for PR News’ Platinum PR Awards for blogs. We know people are paying attention based on the comments we get on Facebook, Twitter and on the blog. But it makes us especially proud to have your work recognized by people who give awards. Will we win? That’s hard to tell. Jet Blue does a great job giving people a peek into their business and the good work they do supporting the communities they serve. San Diego Gas and Electric’s “Postcards from Superstorm Sandy” has us looking at the brave men and women who fix power lines in a whole new light. Next at Microsoft is adept at showing the human side of a major tech innovator and even has the courage to ask if it’s time to step away from your computer. The Washington State Parks: Adventure Awaits blog has us wondering whether vacationing there is truly an “apples to apples” comparison to Pure Michigan. It’s an honor being named among this group. And it’s reinforcement to us that stepping outside your core business and fostering conversations that truly ignite passion in people is well worth the investment for any company in any industry.
