ESTHER E. HASKINS, DBA, MBA, MPS
AWARD-WINNING MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS EXECUTIVE
info@AboutEH.com
MARKET RESEARCH / DIGITAL STORYTELLING CASE STUDIES
The Trust Factor: What Motivates Gen Z to Buy from Influencers
As influencer marketing grows into a $32 billion industry, my doctoral research explored what truly motivates Gen Z to purchase from social media influencers. Surveying 500 U.S.-based participants, the study found that 95% identified trust as the leading factor in their buying decisions, far surpassing attractiveness or expertise.
Regression analysis revealed that trustworthiness had the strongest correlation to purchase intention (r = .77), followed by expertise (r = .69) and attractiveness (r = .52). Participants described trusted influencers as relatable, authentic, and consistent—qualities that made them feel more like peers than brand spokespeople.
These findings reframe how marketers evaluate influencer partnerships, showing that authenticity—not aesthetics—is the new ROI for Gen Z engagement and conversion.
After acquiring a Maryland-based Medicaid Managed Care Organization (MCO), CareFirst CHPMD faced a critical challenge: to revive the newly acquired plan, rebuild consumer trust, and reestablish its presence in a competitive Medicaid marketplace. To succeed, the organization needed to deeply understand what drives Medicaid members’ decisions—how they choose plans, what influences switching behavior, and which messages inspire trust and retention.
I led a two-phase market research initiative. The study was reviewed under Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocols to ensure ethical compliance and data integrity throughout.
Phase I focused on exploring member mindset and decision-making through in-depth interviews with Medicaid recipients. The findings revealed that cost transparency, provider access, and cultural familiarity were key to loyalty, while limited understanding of benefits created barriers to engagement. Phase II applied these insights to creative testing, evaluating messaging from the “With Care” campaign across English- and Spanish-speaking audiences. The research identified which messages—emphasizing care, cost clarity, and trusted access—most effectively resonated with diverse populations.
The insights shaped a revitalized marketing and outreach strategy that repositioned CareFirst CHPMD as a trusted, community-focused healthcare partner. Within two fiscal years, the plan surpassed all growth targets, achieving 100,000 members in FY2024 and 131,000 in FY2025, far exceeding the original goal of 85,000.
Rebuilding a Brand in Crisis: How I Turned Pandemic Fatigue Into $10 Million in Growth
When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted every sector of healthcare, the American Nurses Association (ANA) faced an urgent challenge: to reconnect with more than 4 million nurses and restore trust in its programs. Early Power BI dashboards revealed alarming trends — participation in education and professional development had dropped by over 40%, digital engagement was falling, and member sentiment reflected deep burnout and frustration with the profession.
I led a two-phase national research initiative to uncover what nurses were thinking, feeling, and fearing during the pandemic. Phase I analyzed workforce sentiment and retention risk, revealing deep emotional fatigue and intent to leave the profession—critical insights that shaped ANA’s wellness and recognition strategy. Phase II examined vaccine confidence and cultural attitudes among 22,000 nurses, exposing disparities in hesitancy that guided the creation of targeted, trust-based communication campaigns.
These insights became the foundation for a data-driven brand repositioning that reconnected nurses to ANA’s mission, restored trust, and generated $10 million in new sponsorship funding within one year.
Directed an omnichannel marketing campaign tailored to Spanish-speaking audiences, featuring culturally relevant creative across digital, social, and community channels. This segment proved the most engaged, with results exceeding enrollment goals by over 20% and reach by more than 35%. The campaign demonstrated the impact of language-specific, culturally attuned marketing in driving growth and strengthening connections with diverse communities.
Directed digital marketing strategy using Google Performance Max, paid social, digital display, and paid search to reach priority audiences, including rural communities, maternity populations, and families. Guided by a consumer research study, the campaign highlighted benefits most relevant to target segments, ensuring messaging aligned with consumer interests and needs. This data-driven approach optimized digital spend, expanded reach across platforms, and strengthened enrollment growth.
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Directed a statewide Medicaid marketing campaign that exceeded its annual goal with 100,000 new members and over 120 million impressions. Led creative strategy and execution across digital and out-of-home placements, including convenience store posters, billboards, bus shelter signs, gas station pump toppers, and digital point-of-sale displays. This multi-channel approach expanded visibility in high-traffic locations, connected with hard-to-reach populations, and drove record-breaking enrollment
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Led the global marketing strategy for CareFirst’s Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan, engaging federal employees across the DMV and overseas. Directed omnichannel campaigns spanning digital, social, and print to drive plan awareness and enrollment. Partnered with global media outlets to optimize targeting and reach, resulting in 17.3 million impressions and 3,656 non-member leads—positioning CareFirst as a top choice for the federal workforce worldwide.
Expanded patient acquisition, strengthened referral networks, and built community trust among older adult populations. Established partnerships with assisted living facilities, churches, the DC Health Council, and other community anchors to align BlueRock Care with trusted institutions and regional health priorities.
Provided marketing direction for a senior-focused primary care practice, leading brand positioning and digital campaigns. Directed content and partnerships to drive patient acquisition, strengthen Medicare engagement, and position BlueRock Care as a trusted provider for older adults.
Directed digital campaigns for agencies including the Department of Defense and Social Security Administration. Developed messaging around Cybersecurity Awareness Month and Artificial Intelligence, positioning NITAAC as a trusted federal IT partner. These campaigns increased visibility and supported business development goals.
Integrated Sprout Social into NITAAC’s marketing ecosystem to streamline publishing and unify federal-facing channels. Directed the rollout so the team could schedule posts, monitor engagement, and respond in real time. Used analytics dashboards to review performance, track audience trends, and refine campaign strategies. Delivered insights that tied social media activity to NITAAC’s broader acquisition goals, giving leadership clear visibility into reach, impact, and ROI.
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Integrated Salesforce Marketing Cloud with B2B sales efforts to create segmented campaigns, automate lead journeys, and deliver real-time engagement data to sales teams. This alignment drove stronger pipeline visibility and measurable ROI, directly contributing to the success of a multi-million-dollar campaign with the Peace Corps and supporting the achievement of NIH’s $4 billion annual revenue goal.
The “Silence No More” campaign combined an animated video, integrated landing page, blogs, shareable social graphics, a text-to-pledge tool, and advocacy resources—including an infographic and guides—to raise awareness about workplace violence against nurses and drive public action. The campaign garnered 25,000 pledges, which were delivered to congressional leaders and helped elevate the issue in policy discussions.
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