I

One-of-a-Kind Healthcare Transport Business Calls on PeakBiety for Branding and Website Development Solutions

Tampa, FL—As a new presence in the healthcare transportation field, Tampa-based Internal Patient Transport (IPT) Services provided PeakBiety branding+advertising with quite a challenge: To develop an integrated campaign for marketing strategy and corporate brand identity that included the creation of a new graphic identity, brand promise, new website and various printed materials. The results of this innovative campaign by PeakBiety can be seen at the new corporate website for IPT, HealthcareIPT.com.

IPT website

Internal Patient Transport Services’ SVP of Operations, Tangee Kizer, describes internal patient transport as “fundamental to hospital efficiency, throughput and profitability. It has to be done right, with care and safety in mind, every single time, which is why it is the sole purpose and top priority at IPT.”

Internal Patient Transport Services, with its singular focus and years of transport logistic experience, seeks to redefine patient transfer within hospitals and healthcare facilities. IPT requires all of its transporters to certify using the latest NAHTM standards to guarantee patient safety and lower hospital risk assessments.

iptbrochure

PeakBiety branding+advertising services local, regional and national clients in a variety of business sectors. The agency focuses on adding value for its clients by improving customer perceptions. This commitment is summed up in the agency’s promise, “the power of perception®.”

PeakBiety is one of the few advertising agencies in the Tampa Bay Area to meet strict requirements for membership in the prestigious American Association of Advertising Agencies (4As), as well as official recognition as a Google AdWords Certified Partner. For more information, visit peakbiety.com.

Healthcare Branding Week: Why a “Traditional” Agency Makes Sense For Healthcare Marketing

Part 5 of 5

Too often today, corporate marketing will look to “specialists” to solve problems. A design firm may be hired for logo development, a website company will be hired for an online presence, television may end up getting station-produced, and the list goes on. The risk with this approach is mainly waste and inconsistency. And too often, messages lack both strategy and integration. As a result, the organization finds itself having spent a lot of money only to end up with misdirected and mediocre communications.

How does this happen? Sometimes the problem is lack of or conflicting strategies. Without a clear, concise and written strategy that applies to all communications, efforts will flounder, be ineffective and could even send conflicting messages. Strategy is essential in developing a competitive position. It will provide a summation of the impression that you’re trying to leave your audience. It also provides good direction but doesn’t demand that you go only one specific executional route.

Working with a written strategy is also an important discipline because it requires the intense study of: product/service benefits, target market needs/wants and competitive positions in order to seek a solid foundation for creating difference. And importantly, it should be looked upon as a long-term document. What do you want your target audience to believe about your product/service after years of advertising?

Integration is important because a planned process will ensure that all brand contacts received by your customers or prospects are relevant and consistent over time. An integrated approach will consider every imaginable way your organization will interact with the audience. It may be traditional or non-traditional media, and it may be online or offline.

Not only is integration important to advertising messages, it extends to sales, customer service, direct marketing, social media and public relations. Integration becomes a unified force. If different companies and departments are working separately—independent of one another—the potential for brand alignment greatly decreases.

Traditional advertising agencies were once considered to be true marketing partners (a term that has since been beat to death and misused). Better agencies were involved in high level marketing strategy, new product development, market research, package design, media planning and buying, collateral material (yes… even that stuff), promotional programs and, oh yes, advertising that worked. In short, the agency was viewed as a business-building partner and expected to bring ideas to the table that could make a difference regardless of the medium. To achieve that, agencies had to have the marketing capability and passion to understand the client’s business as well as examine trends.

So, how does all this apply to marketing for the healthcare industry? Healthcare needs to be viewed as a unique business model. Not only is it complex, highly competitive and constantly changing, the virtues of a healthcare organization must be completely understood to be accurately reflected. And healthcare decisions for the consumer involve so many propositions on so many different levels—from the quality, to the value, to the emotional connection.

When searching for an agency, rather than seek out “specialists” in services, find an agency that has a proven track record in healthcare marketing communications. You may just find that broad range of services you need under one roof. And finding an agency that has a broad base of clients, not only in the healthcare industry, will help avoid a myopic view on communication solutions.

Healthcare Branding Week: Complexities of Healthcare Advertising Online

Part 4 of 5

Despite a down economy, online advertising in 2009 saw steady growth according to a survey conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers published in April 2010. “Search revenue accounted for 47 percent of 2009 revenues, up from the 45 percent reported in 2008. Display advertising also showed solid growth, accounting for 35 percent of 2009 revenue up from 33 percent in 2008. Digital video, which is a component of display advertising, increased 38 percent from 2008 to 2009.” (PWC 2010) But along with this phenomenal growth come phenomenal complexities.

Following and targeting consumers online is challenging in the healthcare industry. Consumers commonly search for information on heathcare sites such as WebMD. However, they are also increasingly turning to user-generated health content such as blogs, chat groups and physician and hospital rankings. Many user-generated sites contain health information that is incorrect or misleading.

Behavioral targeting becomes useful to track information about an individual’s web-browsing behavior by identifying pages visited and searches made. Select ads can then be specifically targeted to the individual and placed on reputable sites.

Further, retargeting offers a powerful tool to reach a consumer by displaying multiple impressions of the same ad to the same user, based on behavior. For example: a newly diagnosed patient comes home from the doctor and searches for “diabetes treatments.” After browsing through a few sites, the patient moves on to another site such as the New York Times to read the news. At this point, an ad for the diabetes treatment product (from the previous site visited) will appear.

According to a recent study by the Network Advertising Initiative, conversion rates for retargeted ads are 6.8% compared to 2.8% for non-targeted ads (NAI 2010). However, privacy is an issue.
In a post earlier this week, “Consumers Go Online For Healthcare Answers,” we discussed the growing trend of consumers becoming increasingly proactive online, with some not wishing to publicly identify with certain healthcare brands or social networks. Other consumers may be concerned about privacy online, and choose not to participate in the various health communities available.

While some consumer advocacy groups have expressed concern over behaviorally targeted ads, others point out that it is simply a means of displaying relevant content to users. Users are tracked via cookies on their computers, and no names or other personal information is collected. Additionally, most ad platforms don’t allow users to be targeted based on anything they have read relating to mental or sexual health.

So far, the FDA has been silent on the issue of guidelines for online advertising, referring questions to longstanding policies governing traditional forms of advertising and promotion. Pharmaceutical companies, in particular, are struggling with how to incorporate fair balance information into their online endeavors.

“Consumers’ demand is clear. We want the best health information possible to live healthier lives,” said John Bell, a Word of Mouth Marketing Association board member. “Thirty-six percent of people who gathered information about a health condition online subsequently spoke to their doctors as a result, and 21% made a change to their lifestyle because of the information they found. That information comes from professional health sources, healthcare companies and our peers. We need to protect consumers while making it easier for health care companies to use digital and social media to serve their patients and customers better.”

Sources:
PricewaterhouseCoopers. “IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report.” Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) April 2010

NAI (Network Advertising Initiative) “Study Finds Behaviorally-Targeted Ads More Than Twice As Valuable, Twice As Effective As Non-Targeted Online Ads.“ 24 March 2010.

Smith, Kristen. “Word of Mouth Marketing Association Urges FDA to Provide Social Media Guidelines for Health Care and Pharma Companies.” Word of Mouth Marketing Association 9 March 2010.

Healthcare Branding Week: Where does Social Media fit in?

Part 3 of 5

Security risks, privacy concerns, possible HIPAA violations… its easy to see why health care organizations might be frightened by social media. Then, there are those who just wonder if it is all a waste of time and resources.

In spite of these concerns, the number of hospitals and healthcare entities with an online social media presence is growing by leaps and bounds. In May 2010, an estimated 730 hospitals had social media accounts—compared to 370 eight months ago. Chris Boyer, Senior Manager of Digital Communications at Inova Health Systems says, “Social media is a way to develop mindshare. People don’t think about hospitals until they need one. Social media efforts get them to start caring and helps to build trust and to develop a personal relationship.” (Seegert 2010)

The rise of so-called “e-Patients” creates many opportunities for engagement. e-Patients are defined as those “who are equipped, enabled, empowered and engaged in their health and health care decisions” (Sharp 2010). E-Patients believe informed self-care is the starting point for good health, and want to be actively involved with doctors and medical centers in shaping health information and services. Many e-Patients are recording their medical conditions online in an effort to track and self-diagnose themselves, within online medical communities such as patientslikeme.com or curetogether.com.

“Social media is here to stay in health care, but it will evolve quickly.” says John Sharp, manager of Research Informatics in the Department of Quantitative Health Sciences at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. He believes that patient engagement will continue to characterize this change. Customer service, community outreach, education, public relations, crisis communications, recruitment, brand monitoring and service recovery are just a few of the areas that can be addressed by a social media campaign.

The North Shore LIJ Health System (NSLIJ), one of the country’s largest healthcare providers, has had great success using social media to drive fundraising. Donors can text pledges to the foundation via cell phone, or click through from inspirational YouTube videos. Marisa Fedele, associate director of communications for NSLIJ, says her only regret is not integrating social media into the mix sooner.

The bottom line? There are a lot of patients out there looking for information and an opportunity to connect with their health care organizations. Reaching out to them will not only improve communication, it will help build trust and brand recognition. Just make sure you have a social media plan in place to guide the content and quality of information published under your brand’s name, and integrate the effort with other more traditional media for consistent communication.

Sources:
Sharp, John. “Social Media in Health Care: Barriers and Future Trends.” iHealthBeat. 6 May 2010.

Seegert, Liz. “Hospitals gain community mindshare through social media.” ThinkSocial 11 May 2010.

Healthcare Branding Week: Consumers Go Online For Healthcare Answers

Part 2 of 5

Consumers of all ages are becoming increasingly proactive online when it comes to getting answers about their health. This includes choosing doctors, treatments and healthcare facilities. A study by the Pew Internet Project found that 75-80% of internet users have looked online for health information, and that the internet is ranked second only to physicians when it comes to gathering trustworthy information about health-related topics (Fox 2008).

An even more recent study shows that 40% of hospital or urgent-care center patients report that social media influenced their healthcare choices, with the percentage jumping to over 50% in the 25-34 age bracket (Marketing Charts 2009).

A Nielsen study found that 39% of patients already use an online support group to discuss medications or treatments, and that “the anonymity of the internet affords a comfort level that encourages individuals to share details about their symptoms, treatment history, experiences with their doctors, the efficacy and side effects of medication, the impact of their condition on their own lives and more.” (Davies 2008)

However, depending on the nature and seriousness of various conditions, consumers may not wish to publicly identify with the brand on social networks such as Twitter or Facebook. To counteract stigma, some healthcare brands, such as GlaxoSmithKline’s weight loss product, Alli, have overcome stigma by creating their own community where consumers congregate, share personal stories and milestones.

Hospitals can facilitate consumer engagement by offering services and interactivity through their Web sites. A good example is Community Memorial Hospital in Menomonee Fall, WI. Their home page offerings include an “Ask Our Nurse” service, a baby gallery, a way to send patients e-cards, and a direct link to CarePages.

Some hospitals now post emergency room wait times online as a way to manage patients’ expectations for non life-threatening situations. Such is the case at Liking Memorial Hospital in Newark as reported in April, 2010. According to the chief executive officer of the hospital this effort not only helps the hospital be more transparent, “making this information available was another step in making the community see how we’re doing and how we’re taking care of them as a hospital system.” (Hoholik 2010)

Overall, creating a strong healthcare brand presence online can be challenging. A successful online initiative should integrate carefully with the overall brand strategy and offer new ways of listening, interacting and engaging with consumers. Gaining attention in the crowded electronic field takes special creativity in order to stand out.

Sources:
Fox, Susannah. “The Engaged E-patient Population.” PewInternet.org 26 Aug. 2008.

MarketingCharts.com Berthiaume , Dan. 30 Sept. 2009.

Davies, Melissa. “Listening to Consumers in a Highly Regulated Environment: How Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Can Leverage Consumer-Generated Media.” Nielsen Online August 2008.

Hoholik, Suzanne. “Hosptial in Newark posts ER wait time on Web site.” The Columbus Dispatch 3 April 2010.

Healthcare Branding Week: How Important is Branding for the Healthcare Industry?

Part 1 of 5

In today’s tough economic climate, the wellness of a healthcare organization’s brand is more critical than ever. This can mainly be attributed to the complex and highly competitive nature of the industry. Awareness with strong identity and messaging are a good start. But aside from basic marketing, successful branding goes a lot further. It must start from inside a healthcare organization’s core. At its soul. From that point, everything that the organization does—from brand promise, to advertising, to employees working as brand ambassadors—complete brand alignment is essential. Why?

In the 2010 Edelman Trust Barometer: An Annual Global Opinion Leaders Study, trust and credibility in brands exceeded all other corporate attributes. Where else is trust more important than in healthcare? Healthcare decisions are emotional. Personal. Sometimes it’s a matter of life and death. You may wonder, well, where does a brand come in? Brands sound like toothpaste or toilet paper. But that’s also the similarity. Studies show that people are most loyal to brands that are most personal. Brands that you feel, that you touch. Things that comfort you and make you feel better. This is where healthcare needs to see itself today.

So where does an organization start? A brand assessment is a good place. Not unlike a SWOP analysis, a brand assessment will uncover brand strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. However, it goes much deeper than that. With the right research, an effective brand assessment will help your organization uncover desired goals within the organization and contrast those with patient perceptions. The right discovery work will identify what makes your organization different from your competitors. From that key information, branding communication tools with creative signals are developed.

Once communication tools are in place, the following steps are helpful to the implementation process:

1. Launch the brand strategically. Explain to staff why branding is so essential. Take measures to ensure employee pride and ownership. Employee perceptions trickle down to patients. Customers can sense when there is lack of transparency and empathy. It is crucial for a holistic brand framework to be implemented consistently with genuine care for patients.

2. Make sure your organization is well-informed and consistent with the use of the brand’s identity. Provide detailed brand guidelines. After the launch, continue employee brand education with attention-getting, motivating and inspiring reminders.

3. Consider that your brand and the mediums by which you communicate are ever-evolving. Identify and implement on-gong measurement. Continually reinforce your brand infrastructure. Be consistent in messaging but stay fluid with changing technology.

4. Develop a social media plan to disseminate your brand message and stay connected to your customers. We’ll be talking more about social media on Wednesday.

Over time, strong branding will reap very tangible rewards. We know that people will pay more for a brand name than a generic alternative. This is especially true when it comes to one’s healthcare. People trust brands because of what those brands represent. Whatever the brand distinction in the eyes of consumers, a branded healthcare organization is worth more than a non-branded one. Successful branding will give an organization a big advantage over its competitors. Making a promise known to customers, then living up to it, is key.

Sources:

Edelman, Richard. “2010 Edelman Trust Barometer Executive Summary.” Edelman.com. 2010. 8 June 2010  http://www.scribd.com/full/26268655?access_key=key-1ovbgbpawooot3hnsz3u

PeakBiety and Mindclay put Hospital’s “Bigger Picture” on TV screen

TAMPA, FL – PeakBiety branding + advertising®, the agency for Florida Hospital Waterman in Tavares, teamed up with mindclay creative to bring the hospital’s message to television through the production of a :30 commercial entitled “Bigger Picture.” The spot uses a unique image-morphing visual approach to communicate the concept that Florida Hospital Waterman sees patients as more than their diagnoses; it sees the bigger picture of health as part of people’s lives.

The commercial is part of a multi-media advertising campaign developed by PeakBiety that includes a series of print ads and multiple outdoor boards built around the hospital’s brand promise, “A Community of Health and Healing.” The campaign focuses on communicating that Florida Hospital Waterman is the hospital to trust because it delivers clinical excellence in a safe and compassionate environment of patient-centered care. Florida Hospital is part of the Adventist Health System, known for its holistic approach to healing the mind, body and spirit. To view the commercial and see samples of the print and outdoor ads, go to http://peakbiety.com/fhw.php.

Production of the commercial was done in conjunction with mindclay creative, the creative services division of Spectrum Productions, a nationally recognized, Emmy Award winning television programming and post-production firm. The mindclay team of top producers and artists provides a full range of services including animation, design, live action, brand identity, interactive media, and high definition post production. For information on mindclay and its services, go to www.mindclay.tv.

PeakBiety branding + advertising serves local, regional and national clients in a variety of business sectors. The agency focuses on adding value for its clients by improving customer perceptions. This commitment is summed up in the agency’s promise, “the power of perception®.”

PeakBiety is also one of the few agencies in Tampa Bay to meet the strict requirements for membership in the prestigious American Association of Advertising Agencies (4As). For more information, call Glen Peak at PeakBiety branding + advertising, 813-227-8006, extension 114, e-mail gpeak@peakbiety.com or visit peakbiety.com.