CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid Corp. has kicked off a marketing campaign for its new loyalty program catering to customers age 65 and older.

Based on the wellness+ program Rite Aid introduced in 2010, the new initiative is called wellness65+ and offers benefits that include expanded access to the chain’s pharmacists as well a 20% discount on merchandise they buy on the first Wednesday of every month.

“Retail brands have an opportunity to create in-store experiences and offerings that foster stronger relationships and truly build loyalty,” says Rite Aid senior vice president of marketing John Learish. “Wellness65+ provides seniors, one of our most important consumer bases, with products and services specifically targeted to meet their needs.”

Rite Aid announced wellness65+ in mid-June and began rolling out a nationwide marketing campaign in support of the program last month.

The campaign promotes the program’s distinctive offerings, which include the ability to earn one reward point for every dollar they spend on prescription co-pays (including those supported by government-funded programs) up to a maximum of 25 points per prescription.

That is one of the program’s most significant benefits for seniors who fill prescriptions through Medicare Part D, Learish says.

The marketing campaign, developed by MARC USA, includes television and radio spots featuring the voice of actress Julianna Margulies. “Each wellness65+ TV spot opens with a senior reflecting ‘How did I get here?’ ” MARC USA chief executive officer Bryan Hadlock explains. “The spots complete the loop by showing the role of the Rite Aid pharmacist in the senior’s life — helping each customer get to a place where he or she is living life to the fullest.”

Wellness65+, he adds, is designed to give seniors an enhanced experience and the opportunity to have an expanded, personalized consultation with a Rite Aid pharmacist.

That benefit is particularly valuable now, Learish says. “Amid new health care legislation and the growing array of options, health care can be more confusing than ever,” he explains. “A key goal of wellness65+ is to create ongoing dialogue between Rite Aid pharmacists and patients to better help them reach their wellness goals.”