Hospital Branding

The phrase "win-win" has been engrained in our vocabulary, to the point where business books call it one of the most overused statements of the last decade.  Obviously, the meaning implies there is a mutual benefit to two parties who take part in a common activity or situation.  The opposite side of that equation is the "lose-lose," reflecting an individual or organization that chooses not to engage in a strategy that has limited risk and high potential return. Such is the case with digital marketing.  Believe it or not, there are still many healthcare organizations that are merely skimming the surface and not committing more of their budgets to paid digital media.  They are engaged in social, SEO, and other forms of owned media, but not shifting their budgets in favor of digital spend versus traditional media.  To borrow another phrase in the business vernacular, digital media is a "no brainer."  Think about the benefits: You can precisely target by...

In this branding blog, we have written about the "sweet spot."  The book, "Aaker on Branding," defines it as the intersection between consumer passions and brand benefits.  While there are several variations of this description,  the basic premise of the "sweet spot" relies on a deep understanding of your consumers beyond demographics, household composition, and top-line preferences.  It requires real insights on their dreams, visions, and interests. At a recent advertising conference I heard this:  "Branding moves at the speed of culture."  It was a "wow moment."  The example was based on a popular brand of headphones and ear buds that have done an incredible job of tying their products to what's currently trending.  As a result, the brand is always at the forefront of culture and endorsed by many top athletes and celebrities.  I should add, too, that the creative work is pretty brilliant. The intersection of your brand promi...

It takes years to create a trusted brand; one that carries with it quality, safety, assurance, and credibility in the minds of your consumers.   Then, in an instance, it’s gone and – in many cases – impossible to get back.   There are several reasons this occurs – some controlled (think Coke’s new recipe or Maker’s Mark less potent one), some out of control (think Tylenol).   According to David Horsager, author of “The Trust Edge,” a lack of trust is the biggest expense a brand can endure.   One of the hot topics today when it comes to brand trust is the use of a spokesperson and whether this makes good sense for an organization.   From Lance Armstrong and Tiger Woods (who reportedly lost $110 Million income in two weeks) in the sports world to Bill Cosby and recently Brian Williams in the “entertainment” industry, to countless others, tying your brand to an individual is a risk you should seriously consider.   It has JELL-O shaking in its’ Nike shoe...

The most effective way to be disruptive in today’s marketplace is to have the deepest possible understanding of your consumers. Have you ever been behind a fo­cus group mirror watching a group of your customers, wanting to reach through the glass to educate them about your brand so they could better understand the brand mes­sage and successfully choose your product or service? All the work you think you’re doing to develop the most compelling and differentiating brand proposition is falling terribly flat! It has happened to all of us and, while it is a humbling and reflective experience, it reinforces a basic principle of branding, communications, and breaking through the clutter. It’s not that customers don’t “get” or care about the message, it’s mainly that the content is not engaging or disruptive enough to rise to the top in their already multi-tasked lives. And this leads to the brand marketer’s next task. We use the term disruptive as an adapta­tion of Clayton M. Christe...

Separated by a mere three letters, there's a world of difference between the words "brand" and "branding."  Too often, they are used interchangeably and interpreted in many different ways.  Common terms associated with both words include "naming," "identity," "tagline," "packaging," "advertising," and so forth, mainly centered around tactical elements. In our experience working with organizations in the service sector, the difference between the two ideas comes down to this:  A brand is a destination, where you want to end up, while branding is the journey or the roadmap to get you there. There are other important differences between the two terms, some dealing with dollars and others that just make sense. A brand is a goal; branding is a strategy. From the breakthrough book, "Positioning - The battle for your mind," (Trout and Ries), establishing a market position is a goal, it's where yo...

If you've attended a marketing or branding conference, you'll agree there are dozens of definitions of the term "branding."  From the creation of an identity to the production of a commercial, the word certainly gets a lot of use (and misuse) and is attached to many meanings.  I recently attended Brand ManageCamp, a global gathering on branding where many well-known experts and authors shared their wisdom.  David Aaker, considered to be today’s branding guru by many and author of the recent “Aaker on Branding,” spoke and his insights helped me round out the right definition of the term. I will admit, however, it’s tough to sum up "branding" in a single statement, so here are the “5 E’s of Branding," to put on your mental shelf next to the “4 P’s of Marketing.”   1.   Essence As Aaker explains, the brand essence is the first step in determining your brand strategy and reflects "the higher purpose of your brand and the reason it exis...

Great brands make a promise to consumers and deliver real value.  They go beyond "feature/benefits" and improve the way we feel, perform, and enjoy life.  Think about your favorite brands and the messages they communicate; most likely one or more of these lofty platforms are covered. A recent consumer study was conducted to peel back benefits and uncover what really drives consumers to certain brands.  These are called "heartbeat" brand attributes because they, well, make hearts beat with excitement, passion, and hope. In the 2014 "Heartbeat Brand" survey, conducted by Springboard Brand & Creative Strategy, consumers (N=225) were asked, "How important are the following characteristics of a heartbeat brand?"  The top three that emerged as "very important/important" were: Reflects a personal passion           69% Improves health and well-being    66 Expands my knowledge               ...