November 19, 2011
QR Codes are becoming more and more popular but they aren’t appropriate for every use. 
QR codes are everywhere. And aren’t they cool? They are great at providing additional information and for engaging consumers. Brands like Starbucks and Lady Gaga are using QR codes very effectively to build loyalty and many retail brands are using QR codes to provide additional product information.
In fact, worldwide usage of QR codes is growing at more than 20% annually and barcode usage in North America is growing at a 42% clip.
But despite this rapid growth and the usefulness of QR codes there are some uses, which make no sense at all. B.L. Ochman writing for Ad Age gave some examples of some poor uses of QR codes.
1. QR codes on billboards, too high ad too far away to get a clear scan.
2. QR codes in subways and places where there is no cellphone reception.
3. Barcodes in TV spots when by the time you can grab your phone and find the scanner the spot is over.
4. QR codes with no instructions. Not everyone knows how to use a QR code.
5. Using a proprietary code so you need a specific type of QR reader. Most people will not bother to download a scanner just to read one particular scan.
There are many other bad uses of QR codes. Some that don’t make sense at all. You probably have seen some yourself.
So the point for hospital marketers is that QR codes can be very useful. But it is not something to use just because everyone’s doing it. Not just because it’s a new fad. Its use should be strategic and it should be easy and useful. Clear instructions and the benefits of accessing the scan are imperative.
QR codes is a technology that should be used and can be extremely useful in healthcare advertising. Perhaps in more than any other industry, within the healthcare arena, QR codes can be the mechanism to deliver very valuable information that can’t be delivered in an ad or flyer or poster.
Do we use QR codes in hospital advertising? Of course! But make sure it makes sense and delivers a true benefit to the user. Not just because it’s cool.
Leave a Comment » | 
Hospital Advertising, Social Media | Tagged: 2D Barcodes, 2D barcodes for hospitals, Ad Age, Ad Agency Alabama, Advertising Agency Hunstville, Advertising Agency Tuscaloosa, B.L. Ochman, healthcare marketing, Hospital Marketing, Jimmy Warren, Lori Moore, Nancy Siniard, QR Codes, QR codes for hospitals, Succesful use of QR codes, Successful use of Barcodes | 
Permalink
Posted by Jimmy Warren
July 19, 2011
It’s been said that half of the advertising we do is wasted. Research proves that’s true. But which half? 
Research conducted by Gerald Tellis and colleagues, and reported in Advertising Age, attempted to discover how advertising works. And its effectiveness. Their findings are very interesting and provide useful information for healthcare marketers.
- About half of all ads are simply ineffective. This means the ads that are effective are twice as effective.
- Advertising v. Sales. A 10% increase in advertising generally leads to a 1% increase in sales.
- Short-term vs. long-term. There is no need to start a new campaign until the old one has completely run its course. It is also true that advertising is ineffective in the short-term it will be ineffective in the long-term also.
- Advertising is more effective in a recession than in expansions. The likely reason for this is that many advertisers cut back during recessions so therefore there is less noise.
- TV advertising is more effective than print advertising. Television is more visual and outperforms print.
- Advertising remains a powerful means for reaching consumers. Advertising has helped launch new products and services, created new markets and built great brands.
As all healthcare marketers know, advertising is effective but it’s always interesting to examine the findings of advertising research. The strongest testaments to advertising are the times we have effectively used it to accomplish our marketing goals. It is a very dynamic yet imprecise discipline. But when used correctly it can render outstanding results. At least half the time.
1 Comment | Hospital Advertising | Tagged: Ad Agency Huntsville, Ad Agency Tuscaloosa, Advertising Age, advertising agency in alabama, advertising agency in the south, Gerald Tellis, healthcare marketing, Hospital Marketing, Jimmy Warren, Lori Moore, Nancy Siniard | Permalink
Posted by Jimmy Warren
March 31, 2011
Some of the great advertising of the past would never pass muster today. 
I know in healthcare marketing we rarely get to be funny. And certainly not edgy. Maybe clever at times. And sometimes cute. But never outrageous. So this is not written to healthcare marketers who almost always have to err on the side of safety.
But two recent incidents lately have really made me think we are living in a world that is far too sensitive. And because of it, we have to be bland to be widely accepted and approved. Now I don’t believe we should be insensitive. But sometimes criticism of advertising just goes too far. At least that’s my opinion.
There are many examples that could be sighted but here are two recent ones. Diet Pepsi introduced a new “skinny can” during Fashion Week in New York. The new can is tall and skinny. From a marketing perspective it seemed very appropriate for a diet drink. But apparently I’m wrong. Critics have strongly chastised Pepsi for reinforcing dangerous stereotypes that women must resemble beanpoles to be attractive. Now I agree that a woman doesn’t need to be skinny to be attractive. And to promote such an idea is wrong. But packaging a diet drink in a skinny can is over the line? Isn’t it just good marketing?
The other example I will cite is an ad for the New Zealand Police Department. They needed to attract young recruits to the force. And an advertising agency came up with an all type ad with this head, “We’ve Got a Lot in Common With Cougars. We Like ‘Em Young Too.” An ad that very cleverly makes a singular point. A message that would be sure to resonate with the target. But it received heavy criticism and has been banned. Now I admit the ad is provocative. But it’s also clever and effective. Is this over the line too? Can we not be clever anymore? Can we not use commonly used slang words from our culture in our advertising?
Maybe I’m all wrong but I still believe clever, funny advertising is good. I readily admit that sometimes, advertisers do go over the line. Sometimes ads are harsh, rude and inappropriate. But it seems special interest groups are drawing that line way too close to boring and bland. There is no longer room for good marketing savvy.
It makes me think that many of the great ad campaigns of the past would receive heavy criticism today, as they would be interpreted in light of people’s colored glasses and extreme sensitivities. I never want to be vulgar or create anything I wouldn’t want my children to be exposed to. I never want to be insensitive to groups of people. But I still want to create advertising that cuts through the clutter, that communicates, that makes someone notice. And yeah even makes them laugh sometimes.
2 Comments | Hospital Advertising | Tagged: Ad Agency Alabama, Ad Agency Huntsville, Ad Agency Tuscaloosa, ads chastized, Advertising Agency South, bland advertising, boring advertising, clever advertising, criticism of advertising, Funny advertising, Jimmy Warren, Lori Moore, Nancy Siniard, New Zealand Police Department ad, Pepsi Skinny Can | Permalink
Posted by Jimmy Warren
February 18, 2011
The ultimate goal of our advertising efforts is to provide information that will ultimately lead to more sells. 
The results are in. It’s the talk of the advertising community. The most liked spot in this year’s Super Bowl was a spot featuring a little Darth Vader. You know the spot. The five-year-old boy who’s dressed like Darth Vader wanders around the house trying to conjure up The Force to help him. He has no success until he goes outside and calls on The Force to affect his dad’s car. And to his surprise The Force is finally with him and the car comes to life. Of course the viewer sees The Force is actually his dad using the car’s remote ignition button.
It’s a great commercial. It was ranked as the most liked by Nielsen research. It has created a tremendous viral following having been viewed on YouTube over 10 million times. And it has been one of the hottest topics on Twitter and Facebook. What a success! But was it?
Do you remember the brand of the car? The model? Did it impart any information? Did it sell anything? Bob Garfield pointed out in an article in Ad Age that the vast majority of the conversation in social media was about the ad but not about the car. So was it a great commercial for the brand?
David Ogilvy said, “I do not regard advertising as entertainment or an art form, but as a medium of information. If it doesn’t sell, it’s not creative.” And there has to be some truth to that principle. What did we learn about the car in the adorable spot? That it has a remote ignition system? Now that’s old news in the car industry. That is hardly an advantage. What else did the spot tell us?
We have to be careful we don’t make the same mistake in hospital advertising. We need to communicate information. Useful information. Information that heightens the brand. Selling is not a bad thing. After all it is what all our advertising and marketing must ultimately accomplish. It’s not enough to be adorable. We must sell.
The spot most liked in the latest Super Bowl could have been for any product. Insert any brand you like. Yes it’s well liked. It has become a viral success. But is that really what Volkswagen wanted to accomplish for its Passat? If the American consumer remembers who the spot was for maybe they will rush out and buy one. But then again probably not.
Leave a Comment » | Branding, Hospital Advertising, Hospital Marketing | Tagged: Ad Agency Alabama, Ad Agency Tuscaloosa, Advertising Agency Huntsville, Advertising Agency South, Advertising Agency Southeast, Ag Age, Bob Garfield, Creative Advertising, Darth Vader SUper Bowl Ad, David Ogilvy, Effective Advertising, Facebook, Jimmy Warren, Lori Moore, Nancy Siniard, Nielsen, Successful Ads, Twitter, YouTube | Permalink
Posted by Jimmy Warren
February 17, 2011
A list of most liked commercials that aired in the Super Bowl was very different that the commercials with most recall. 
This year, like every year, there was much anticipation for the spots that would air during the Super Bowl. A lot of talk and fanfare. And certainly a lot of money spent by the advertisers who paid over $3 million per spot. Not only do we look forward to viewing the latest collection of creativity for some of the world’s largest brands, we are also interested in seeing how the spots fared with the viewers.
Nielsen always conducts research immediately after the game to test the commercials. This year two of the things they tested were likeability and recall. And that’s where it got interesting. Because the two lists were very different. In fact, the top three most liked spots did not even make the top ten list for most recalled. And even more confusing, only one spot made both lists.
Surprising indeed! What does this say? I think it says we can sometimes create advertising that’s clever, cute, funny, creative and well liked but never make a connection to the brand. And when that happens what have we accomplished? This can also be true about the many creative award shows. You’ve seen it. Judges grant top honors to ads that are highly creative but upon further review communicate little or nothing about the product or the brand. They are creative competitions and beauty pageants and it’s so nice to be honored for great work. But many times these very ads that are highly decorated never progress the brand.
In healthcare advertising we can make the same mistake. We can create cute, warm, emotional ads that never sell anything. Sometimes we can win awards for such creativity but we haven’t sold anything. We haven’t increased market share at all. This is not to be critical of creativity. I have written many times about the need for creativity in our healthcare advertising. Without it, we seldom get seen or heard. But creativity alone is not the answer either.
Effective advertising occurs when our creativity is used to actually sell a product or service or advance the brand. When it’s used to effectively position the brand, to build a strong relationship to the brand. When it increases market share.
And that is the challenge for all of us in healthcare marketing. To create advertising that breaks through the clutter and has high notation. But what it communicates is not just creativity but the benefits of a service line or brand. It should be advertising that communicates rationally and emotionally and actually moves the needle.
Yeah it’s nice to be recognized for creativity. But the real satisfaction comes when that recognition is more than an award, it’s recognition for advertising that actually works!
Leave a Comment » | Branding, Hospital Advertising | Tagged: Ad Agency Southeast, Ad Agency Specializing in Healthcare Marketing, Ad Agency Tuscaloosa, Advertising Agency Huntsville, Advertising Agency South, Effective Advertising, Jimmy Warren, Lori Moore, Nancy Siniard, Nielsen, Popular Advertisements, Super Bowl Ads | Permalink
Posted by Jimmy Warren
February 14, 2011
Today moms are older and more likely to be Hispanic and single. And because of that our marketing to them has to change. 
A key segment for healthcare marketers is women. Women who are giving birth. Women with young children. And today this segment of the market is very different than they were just a few years ago.
In 1970 one in a hundred births were to women 35 and older. Today it’s one in twelve. According to the National Center for Healthcare Statistics that continues to decline with the number of births falling another 2.6% last year.
The U.S. Census Bureau reports the medium age of marriage for women is now 25.9 years old compared to 22 years old in 1980. But marriage is becoming less of a prerequisite for having children. Everyday Health cites that almost 40% of births were to unmarried women. And unlike what one may think, only 23% are to teenagers. Women in their 20’s made up 60% of unwed mothers and 17% were women in their 30s. Just 64% of moms are married – leaving over one-third of moms as single.
Additionally, one in four births are to women who are Hispanic. The number of Hispanic births has risen 95% since 1985 while the births of non-Hispanic women has fallen 3%. A full 20% of moms in the U.S. were not born or raised in this country.
Very interesting stats. And especially interesting to healthcare marketers. Traditional stereotypes of moms are basically out the window now. The faces of moms have dramatically changed and this impacts how we market to moms and potential moms. Who we need to reach and what we need to say is changing. Mediums, tones, styles and content should be re-examined. According to the Marketing to Moms Coalition 42% of moms found ads to be ineffective and 28% found ads directed to moms as fully unappealing!
This creates a tremendous challenge to healthcare marketers. We have to be sensitive to the changing landscape. We have to explore new and different ways to speak to these moms. Their needs are different. Their perspectives and attitudes are different. And our marketing should also be different.
Leave a Comment » | Hospital Advertising, Hospital Marketing | Tagged: Ad Agency Alabama, Ad Agency Southeast, Advertising Agency Huntsville, Advertising Agency South, Advertising Agency Tuscaloosa, CDC, Everyday Health, Jimmy Warren, Lori Moore, marketing to moms, Marketing to Moms Coalition, Nancy Siniard, national center for healthcare statistics, statistics for married women, statistics for women giving birth, U.S. Census Bureau | Permalink
Posted by Jimmy Warren
February 11, 2011
Women turn to the internet for health information over family, friends or doctors. 
Women are uncomfortable discussing health concerns with other family members, friends, doctors or even spouses. And as a result they turn to the internet for information and answers. iVillage conducted an online poll for Harris Interactive, which revealed women’s dependence on the internet for health concerns.
Some of the results from the survey are:
- 82% of women are uncomfortable discussing health concerns with family and friends
- 62% are twice as likely to turn to the web over their own mothers about health issues
- 64% use online communities to discuss health concerns
- 49% stated that online would be the first place they would go to research health issues. More than twice the amount who would go to their doctor first (25%) or family (15%) or friends (6%).
- 30% gather information from online communities to prepare them for their doctor’s visit.
These results verify women’ s dependence on the web for health information. Healthcare marketers must recognize this and develop web strategies for communicating to women. Robust web sites, web advertising and the development of social networking sites are some of the tools that may be used to reach women. Even directing consumers to existing websites can be helpful in creating relationships and building strong brand perceptions.
Women are traditionally viewed as the primary influencer and decision maker in regards to their family’s health. As they increasingly turn to the web for valuable information, healthcare marketers must recognize it and create ways to meet them there.
Leave a Comment » | Hospital Advertising, Hospital Marketing, Internet | Tagged: Ad Agency Huntsville, Ad Agency Tuscaloosa, Advertising Agency Alabama, Advertising Agency South, Advertising Agency Southeast, Harris Interactive, healthcare marketing, Hospital Marketing, internet use by women, iVillage, Jimmy Warren, Lori Moore, Nancy Siniard | Permalink
Posted by Jimmy Warren
February 10, 2011
Baby Boomers who provide care for aging parents are heavier users of social media than boomers in general.
Baby boomers are embracing social media. Faster than any other segment. According to Pew Internet the number of 50-plus who use social networking sites grew 88% during the past year. Now practically half of the adults over 50 regularly use social media. In the more narrow 50-65 age group its almost three fourths. Healthcare marketers are learning that social media can be a very effective way of reaching and connecting with baby boomers.
But those boomers who are caregivers to aging parents are even more likely to embrace and use social media. Age Lessons partnering with Comscore found that approximately 15.5 million of the 78 million boomers are caregivers. They are split 60/40 female to male and the level of care ranges from daily phone check-ins to live-in help.
As reported by Matt Carmichael in Ad Age these boomer caregivers use social media an average of 150 minutes a month and view 70% more pages than average internet users. They are dependent on social networking sites for information because they have so little time for other types of socializing. Their free time is limited and they are often restricted by the demands of caring for their parent(s). It is often the easiest and fastest way to stay connected with family and friends. They also use social media to validate and reinforce their feelings by finding others in similar situations and communities that provide support and encouragement.
The study also found this group is more likely to use the internet to find information, conduct research and make purchases. The top sites for boomer caregivers are Facebook with a 91% reach, Amazon with 76% and Wal-Mart at 41%. Twitter has 21% reach.
These caregivers are important influencers and decision-makers for not only their own immediate family’s health concerns but also for their parents. This makes this group especially important to healthcare marketers.
Marketing to niches can be very effective. They are more easily identifiable and the message can be very focused. The use of social media, especially Facebook – whether in the form of a page or ad, can be extremely useful tools reaching this key demographic.
Leave a Comment » | Hospital Advertising, Social Media | Tagged: Ad Age, Ad Agency Huntsville, Ad Agency Southeast, Ad Agency Tuscaloosa, Advertising Agency Alabama, Advertising Agency South, Age Lessons, boomers use of social media, Comscore, elderly use of social media, healthcare advertising, healthcare marketing, Hospital Advertising, Hospital Marketing, Jimmy Warren, Lori Moore, Matt Carmichael, Nancy Siniard, Pew Internet | Permalink
Posted by Jimmy Warren
January 30, 2011
The strongest brands are the ones that hold a consistent marketing message year after year after year. 
In marketing we like to tinker. Tinker with ideas, messages and positioning. Update the logo, change the commercial, freshen the copy, etc. And sometimes we make wholesale changes. Tinkering is necessary from time to time but unless our brand position is entirely flawed it rarely needs major changes. It’s not uncommon for brands to make radical changes year after year. We somehow think changes are necessary. But are they really?
Take Fed Ex as an example. They positioned themselves as the overnight carrier. Remember, “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight”? They branded that message in our brains. There was no doubt who they were and what they stood for. As a result they became very successful. Can you tell me what their brand position is today? What do they stand for? Why did they think they had to change from that brand position? They were highly successful, why did they need to change? If you’re like me, you remember their initial brand position and the funny television spots that supported it. I can’t tell you any of the various other brand statements they’ve had since. In my mind they are still the overnight carrier. That is still their market advantage regardless of all the other positions they’ve tried to take over the past decade.
Remember “Pizza. Pizza.” I bet you can tell me what brand is associated with that positioning statement. Little Caesars. They had a simple brand position: two pizzas for the price of one. With it they rose out of obscurity and became the number two pizza chain in America. What is their brand statement today? And what is their market position today? As Al Ries outlines in an article in Ad Age, Little Caesars evolved from that one simple concept to trying to be other things with multiple brand messages. They emphasized delivery and then “Big” pizza and abandoned the “Pizza. Pizza.” message. Now, Little Caesars’ sales have declined 42% and they’re a distant fourth in market share. They had a simple, solid concept and a strong brand message. But they felt the need to change it. Can you tell me what their positioning is today?
There are many other brand examples that could be cited but the point is clear I think. Those brands that have a strong and effective brand position and stick to it usually become stronger. But brands get tired of their position. The market says they need to change and evolve. Marketers feel like they need to change to justify their jobs. And so we change for all the wrong reasons. And more often than not, we end up with multiple and diluted messages and no strong brand position.
Sure, sometimes market situations require a change. But not nearly as often as we think. Can you say Fed Ex could have a more powerful message today that “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight”? Or that Little Caesars could have a more relevant message in the marketplace than “Pizza. Pizza.” – two pizzas for the price of one?
For brands, change for change sake is not a good thing. For healthcare marketers, we need a strong message, a story that resonates with the consumer, a brand with a promise. And we need to stick to it. Continuity ad consistency with one simple, and powerful message will make our brand grow stronger and stronger over time. We must resist the change for change sake.
2 Comments | Branding, Hospital Advertising, Hospital Marketing | Tagged: Ad Age, Ad Agency, Ad Consistency, Ad Contiuity, Al Ries, alabama ad agency, Changes in Marketing, Cici's Pizza, Consistent Marketing, Fed Ex, huntsville ad agency, Jimmy Warren, Little Caesar's, Lori Moore, Nancy Siniard, Pizza Hut, South Ad Agency, Southeast Ad Agency, tuscaloosa ad agency | Permalink
Posted by Jimmy Warren
December 19, 2010
Although newspapers have been pronounced mortally ill they now reach 61% of the adult population - online.
Newspaper websites reached a total of 102.8 million unique visitors in 
September of 2010. That represents 61% of the total adult population. A study conducted by comScore and reported by the Newspaper Association of America found that on an average day newspaper websites attract 20.3 million unique visitors and the average visitor makes 8.5 visits per month.
These web visitors spent more than 3.3 million minutes reading newspapers online and viewed over 4 billion page views. Newspapers readers online outpaced other web news sites. Yahoo News reached 51% of the adult population, 22% visited CNN online and 26% visited MSNBC.
And those who visit newspaper websites tend to be more affluent too. Twenty-five percent of adult visitors to newspaper websites had annual household income of over $100,000 compared to 21% of all internet users.
So even though newspaper circulation is declining, more consumers are reading their newspaper online. Healthcare marketers should take notice and seriously consider a web presence on local newspaper sites. The web audience will undoubtedly continue to grow as circulation continues to decline and healthcare organizations can capture this growing audience by having a significant web presence on newspaper sites. Readers are going web and so should healthcare marketers.
Leave a Comment » | Hospital Advertising, Internet | Tagged: Advertising Agency Huntsville AL, Advertising Agency Tuscaloosa AL, Comscore, effectiveness of newspaper website ads, Jimmy Warren, Lori Moore, NAA, Nancy Siniard, Newspaper Association of America, newspaper readership online | Permalink
Posted by Jimmy Warren
