Harry & Louise Return, This Time Advocating for Healthcare Legislation

By Ira Teinowitz

Fourteen years after health insurance providers created Harry and Louise to question why the government should be getting involved in healthcare, in spots aimed at defeating First Lady Hillary Clinton’s effort to remake healthcare, the couple is being re-enlisted for a new set of healthcare-related ads.

This time a 30-second ad to run on cable and Sunday talk shows during the Democratic and Republican conventions come from health groups and hospitals. It takes a far less confrontational tone in suggesting that maybe it is time for Congress to look at healthcare.

The groups backing the ad include the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Hospital Association, the Catholic Health Association, Families USA and the National Federation of Independent Business.

In the ad, to be unveiled Tuesday, Harry and Louise discuss the importance of Congress making healthcare as a top priority next year.

The original Harry and Louise spots, which ran in 1993 and 1994, were produced by Goddard Claussen for the Health Insurance Association of America. They’re credited with kicking off the subsequent boom in public-policy advertising. The ads were seen as demonstrating that pitching policy issues directly to voters can be as effective as lobbying in affecting Capitol Hill action.

Harry and Louise also made a brief appearance in an ad in 2002.