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.
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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 | 
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Posted by Jimmy Warren
January 30, 2011
Your hospital’s brand is defined by the patient’s experience as well as others. And it’s being determined all day, every day. 
Branding has finally hit the radar for hospitals and healthcare organizations. The industry’s marketing efforts are maturing to the point that marketers and senior management are beginning to realize how important their brand is. And rightfully so. The battle for the consumers’ minds and future market share will be determined by our brand perception.
But for many marketers, branding is about logos and typefaces, corporate identity standards and taglines. Good branding encompasses these things but it’s so much more. It ‘s really more about the consumer’s experience. What does your brand communicate each day to those who come in contact with it?
And it’s not just the patient’s experience that determines the brand. It’s also the patient’s family and friends and what their experiences are like. And employees and how they experience the brand. And suppliers and vendors. The community at large. It’s the totality of all the touch points. By everyone.
We are seeing many hospitals updating logos and altering the visual look of their communications. We see them changing positioning lines. And giving facelifts to their facilities. All of which is good. Very good in fact. But if that is all that’s changing, it’s only cosmetic and only skin deep.
These changes help position a brand but the most important thing is the experience it delivers. What is the experience like? It has to do with parking, cleanliness, friendliness courtesy, wait times, competence, customer service, caring, attitudes and everything else that affects a person’s experience.
It’s great that hospital marketers and senior management are turning their attention to their brand. But hopefully it’s more than just aesthetics. Hopefully the emphasis is on the total experience delivered by the hospital. That’s what will really determine your brand in the minds and hearts of consumers.
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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.
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Posted by Jimmy Warren
January 30, 2011
After receiving resistance to their new logo, Gap went back to the old logo. Did they overreact? 
After undoubtedly a series of focus groups and extensive research, Gap decided it needed to change its logo. They wanted a more contemporary look that was current but yet honored its heritage. A tremendous amount of research and work went into developing the updated logo. So Gap introduced it’s new logo on it’s website. But four days later reversed the decision and returned to their original logo.
The change occurred because consumers took issue with the new mark and voiced their disapproval using various social networking sites. The reaction was strong and fervent. So four days later, Gap president Marka Hansen announced the logo change was being rescinded and the company was returning to the original logo.
Many people praised Gap for listening to its customers and paying attention to their concerns. And for responding rapidly and answering the consumers’ requests. It’s the way marketing works today. Consumers are in control. They voice their opinions and solicit others in the network to join the crusade. And a company is highly regarded for listening to consumers and responding to their concerns and wishes. Everything you read about marketing today would affirm that GAP did exactly as it should.
Maybe that’s true. But maybe not. Was all the research conducted by Gap about their logo just wrong? Was it bogus? Did the resistance merit abandoning the new logo? Were those complaining brand loyalists? Would those who resisted the change stop buying Gap clothing? Is it no longer strategically important to update the logo for the future?
A survey commissioned by AdAge and conducted by Ipsos Observer found that 80% of consumers had no idea the logo had changed. Is it possible to put too much emphasis on consumer social networking responses? Do consumers know what is best strategically for a company’s future success? Are consumers always right? What happens when Gap someday raises prices to remain economically feasible and they meet resistance in social media? Do they sacrifice the company’s financial health because some consumers express dissatisfaction?
This real life example raises questions about how much influence unsolicited consumers should have on your brand. I don’t have all the answers. I commend Gap for listening and responding to consumers. That’s the value of social media. But I also cringe somewhat because they caved to the wishes of a relatively small amount of consumers. I wonder why some opinionated consumers who didn’t like the new logo trumped all the research that had indicated an update was needed.
Healthcare marketers should listen to consumers. They should be responsive to consumer feedback and input. But should they forsake research findings and strategic planning for the wishes of a small percentage of customers? I know social media experts say we should respond quickly to consumer complaints but I would have liked to have known who the complainers actually were (consumers or non-consumers) and if they were consumers who would have stopped buying Gap products because of the logo change.
Social media is helpful and exciting. But should it hijack and derail strategic planning that’s based on solid research? It’s a serious dilemma and deserves further consideration and study.
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Posted by Jimmy Warren
November 17, 2010
Almost 90% of Americans who use the internet have gone online to search for health information.
Next to their doctor, Americans depend on the internet more than any other source for health information. And the type of website visited depends on the stage of the
health condition. The MARS Online Behavior Study was recently released and provides a wealth of information about how consumers use the internet as a health resource. The study conducted by Kantar Media reveals that consumers use health information sites more than search engines across all stages of the 40 ailments covered in the study. And the sites most visited are those that offer helpful tools or connect them to a larger community of people with the same condition. Sites that offer access to medical professionals are also generally preferred.
Here are other findings from the report:
- Of the 178 million Americans who go online monthly, 89% have used the internet for health research with the typical user being females under the age of 50.
- The primary reason for going online is to gain general information about a condition (71%) followed by researching specific symptoms (59%).
- 56% stated a healthcare professional recommendation makes a site trustworthy followed by 46% who cited inclusion of academic articles or scientific research.
- 79% believe the internet is very helpful in providing health and wellness information but 74% were very cautious about which sites to access.
For those recently diagnosed with a condition, 77% say they turn to the internet for information second only to 81% who depend on a healthcare professional.
It’s obvious, and no surprise, that the internet is a major source of healthcare information. For healthcare marketers, the challenge is to discover how to tap into this behavior and become a viable source or clearinghouse for Americans who rely heavily on the internet for health information.
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Posted by Jimmy Warren
October 23, 2010
Those annoying CAPTCHAs may soon be a viable advertising medium delivering a captive audience. 
You know those CAPTCHAs. They are annoying and time consuming. And most of the time very difficult to decipher. CAPTCHAs, Completely Automated Public Turing Test To Tell Computers and Humans Apart, are those squiggly, indecipherable text strings websites require you to discern and type to gain access and provide security. They protect websites against bots by generating and grading text that humans can read but current computer programs cannot. But now they can become a branding tool.
Solve Media is a new start-up company that is offering the opportunity to substitute those hard to read texts with clear concise words that can be a brand or product name. So instead of typing in words or a series of letters that mean nothing, you can be forced to type the name of a brand or product. What a captive audience! And what a way to get consumers to type your brand or product, which is much better than just seeing it.
Of course it’s not free. Advertisers will be required to buy the words on various sites. The company is currently pitching it to major brands and advertisers. The anticipated cost will be 25 -50 cents for each time a consumer types in your brand or product. Seems rather expensive. The revenue will be split with the website publisher.
The idea requires the consumer to be engaged and actually type the name of the brand or product, which the company claims, will increase recall. It does not provide a link to the advertisers website or a video or an ad for the advertiser. The value is simply creating recall by the consumer seeing and typing the name.
What a novel idea. What a potentially promising advertising venue. It’s early, so no one knows if the company will get traction or if brand and product managers will adopt it as a viable option. But it does point out two things. The first one is that branding happens everywhere. It’s omnipresent and ubiquitous. Nothing is sacred or off-limits if it can possibly give a brand or product an advantage. The second is that advertising and branding is only limited by the boundaries of our creativity. New and exciting advertising opportunities appear almost daily. The proliferation of media is seemingly endless.
Which means, as health care marketers, we must always be open to new opportunities. And we must use our imagination and creativity to discover new but effective ways to market our brand.
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Posted by Jimmy Warren
October 22, 2010
Some companies are having great success with social media, but overall use of social networking is still very modest. 
Most companies are at least dabbling in social media. This includes hospitals and health care organizations. The number of hospitals that have Facebook pages and that tweet continues to slowly increase. But overall, the statistics indicate overall involvement and investment is still very modest.
Social Media and Online Media Report conducted by Econsultancy reveals that almost a third of companies are not spending anything on social media marketing while another third spend very small amounts. Only about 10% of companies are spending a significant amount of their budget on social network sites.
Several reasons are given for not investing very much in social media.
- Lack of resources 49%
- Lack of knowledge and understanding 35%
- Lack of budget 30%
- Company culture 29%
- Inability to measure success 24%
- Fear of reputation issues 22%
- Lack of senior buy-in 15%
Although these figures relate to all businesses, we can safely assume the numbers for health care marketing would be very similar.
On the other end of the spectrum, Ford Motor Company uses social media extensively and very effectively. In an interview with Ford’s CMO Jim Farley and reported by Mack Collier, Farley stated Ford has effectively used social media to lower marketing costs. Farley, referring to social media states, “by launching a new vehicle early, getting people talking about it before it goes on sale, we can lower the amount of traditional advertising we do after the vehicle goes on sale.” He adds Ford spends 10% of the amount normally spent on traditional media on social media before a launch.
So two very different approaches to social media. Two very different attitudes. And these two are pretty representative of the marketing landscape. Some marketers embrace social network marketing and claim great success while others are still skeptical and limit their use of social media. It’s the nature of new media. There is always a period of experimentation and uncertainty.
The lessons to learn are to watch, explore, experiment and learn. There are ways to use social media that can be effective, but it may not be time to sell out and transfer significant amount resources and budget to a mostly unproven medium. True some health care marketers have invested significant amounts in social marketing, like the Mayo Clinic. However, they are generally an exception. For most hospitals, the investment and effectiveness of social media is limited and varied.
There is still much to learn. And the learning process will be adventurous, challenging and perhaps exciting. Stay tuned as we watch what others do, explore new opportunities, experiment with new ideas and learn. Social media will most likely consume more resources in the future but for now it’s a mixed bag for sure.
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Posted by Jimmy Warren
October 21, 2010
The affluent are depending less on magazines for their news and information and turning to other sources. 
Readership of magazines by heads of households earning more than $100,000 annually declined 16% over the past year according to the annual Ipsos Mendelsohn Affluent Survey. Magazine readership has been slipping for several years but the previous year was first time the decline was in double digits.
The same research indicated internet usage among the same group increased 12% during the past year and increased their purchases of e-readers and tablet computers. This group of consumers are obviously shifting to e-readers and mobile devices for their information. “The consumer is getting more and more comfortable with the alternative platforms”, stated Ipsos Mendelsohn president Bob Shullman, in article in Ad Age by Jeff Neff. He believes “affluents are simply getting their content in a different format. Not doing away with it.”
In contrast, television viewership among the affluent remained unchanged with 17.6 hours per week and internet time increased to an average of 25.3 hours per week.
The survey also indicated, surprisingly, that affluents age 18 to 34 were 13% more likely to be interested in TV ads than older affluents. In fact the younger group were more likely to be interested in every type of advertising except newspaper ads.
The affluent account for only 21% of the population but makes up 60% of household income and 70% of the wealth in the U.S. The affluent are more likely candidates for elective procedures. Are we communicating with them through channels that are most likely to reach them?
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Posted by Jimmy Warren
October 20, 2010
Strategy and creative are usually more important than the media buy. 
There is so much emphasis on media these days. With all the traditional and non-traditional media options and a growing array of new alternatives, so much scrutiny is given to media effectiveness. Do you continue to rely on traditional media? How much of the media budget do you shift to non-traditional media? How do you effectively utilize online advertising, social media, mobile and digital? And how do you evaluate and analyze all the analytics that’s available to you? So much of the critical analysis for an advertising campaign is about the media buy. If the campaign is not effective, the media plan most often takes the blame. Jack Neff made this point in an article in Ad Age.
But more important are strategy and creative. Even with the perfect media buy, if there was one, if the strategy is off target or the creative mediocre, the campaign will not be effective. True, media is very important. And great emphasis should be given to the myriad of critical media decisions. Media planning has become more complex and complicated and requires much attention. But in the diligence to maximize media decisions, the real keys to advertising effectiveness takes a back seat. Strategy and creative are in the front seats.
Strategy is the essential foundation to every effective ad campaign. Nothing is more important than strategy. Nothing trumps strategy. It requires hard work, research, analysis, consumer understanding and smarts. It is the basis of every successful advertising campaign. Without a sound strategy, no media plan can be truly effective. Strategy drives everything. Strategy is the prerequisite to every other element of the campaign. It is the chief factor in determining how effective the advertising can be.
And the next most important component is strong creative. Creative that communicates, that resonates, that grabs attention. It’s the big idea. The concept that builds a brand and drives sales. Creative that is rooted in the right strategy that communicates with the right tone and style. The combination of thought and visuals that stand out. That captures heart and mind and speaks to the soul. Very little is as powerful as a great idea!
Advertising and marketing seem to be dominated today with discussions and debates about the media landscape. What’s new and what works. But more time, more energy, more emphasis should be spent on strategy and creative. With proper attention to these two, the odds of the media plan being effective increases tremendously.
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1 Comment | Branding, Hospital Advertising, Hospital Marketing | Tagged: Ad Age, Advertising Agencies in Alabama, Advertising Agencies in Tuscaloosa, advertising agencies that specialize in healthcare, advertising agencies that specialize in hospital marketing, creative strategy, Huntsville, Jack Neff, Jimmy Warren, Lori Moore, marketing strategy, media strategy, Nancy Siniard | Permalink
Posted by Jimmy Warren
September 21, 2010
Social media is not the answer to marketing woes. But a strong, strategic plan is. 
“TGIF” – that’s Twitter, Google, the Internet and Facebook. And listening to some people you might get the impression the answer to every marketing problem is one or all of the above. We just need to use these four tools, use them more often, invest more money and resources in them and we will become the market leader. There is no doubt these four revolutionary developments have forever changed how we market products and services. But are they the answer to all our marketing issues?
I think not! As powerful and effective as these mediums can be, they are not at the core of what makes brands strong. The most important thing is an effective marketing strategy. Without it, no combination of TGIF can resurrect a bad brand or sustain a good one. Al Ries, chairman of Ries & Ries effectively made this very point in an article in Ad Age. He emphasized that better strategies, not better weapons, win wars. And he gave some compelling examples.
Linen N Things didn’t go bankrupt because it didn’t effectively use Twitter. It went bankrupt because it was a knock off of Bed Bath & Beyond and never differentiated itself from the market leader.
DHL didn’t pull out of the U.S. market because it didn’t buy enough AdWords from Google but because it was the No. 3 brand in a category dominated by UPS and FedEx.
Kmart didn’t go bankrupt because it couldn’t figure out how to use the internet to promote the brand. Rather it went bankrupt because it was caught in no man’s land between low cost Wal-Mart and the high end Target.
Coca-Cola didn’t fail in 3 attempts to build a leading energy drink brand (KMX, Full Throttle and Tab) because it didn’t have a Facebook page but because it waited too long after the launch of Red Bull.
The point is obvious. While TGIF are useful, effective and should be important elements in most marketing campaigns, they will not compensate for a bad marketing strategy. As Ries states, “what wins wars are better strategies.” We sometimes spend a lot of time analyzing and utilizing Twitter, Google, the Internet and Facebook and not nearly enough time developing a strong effective strategy. Without a good strategy, no medium will be effective. With an effective strategy, just about every medium can be effective.
Let’s do the hard work. Let’s focus on our brand strategy. Then we will be prepared to choose the appropriate tactics to win the brand wars.
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Posted by Jimmy Warren
