Who wants to see this colonoscopy ad?


Think about it: Has anyone, in the history of the world, ever thought “Boy, I’d like to see a colonoscopy ad…”? Probably not.

Similarly, who has ever wanted to be reminded that their knees aren’t as young as they used to be? And is there a person on earth who wants to think they might have a dangerous problem with their heart?

People would rather believe the infinitely more comfortable idea that they simply won’t need healthcare services, so they don’t pay attention to healthcare advertising. That’s a big barrier for healthcare marketers, one that most other industries don’t need to clear. But healthcare providers need to find ways to go over, under, or straight on through it. Here are 5 ways to make advertising with that elusive sticky factor.

Be more fun

Most healthcare marketing is serious. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it does leave a lot of opportunity to make your ads stick using humor. We took advantage of this opportunity when we launched a cardiology campaign whose concept was a lighthearted play on people’s lack of knowledge of common heart disease risk factors. The campaign worked, driving a nearly 800% increase in website traffic.

Be more interesting

So much of healthcare advertising looks the same. Look for concepts that are more interesting than what’s out in the market. 

We used this approach to help one of our clients drive orthopedics referrals. To grab the interest and awareness of primary care physicians, a notoriously hard-to-reach audience, we created an orthopedics marketing campaign that included literally mailing a bone in a box to local primary care physicians. It worked, generating more than 150 joint surgeries.

Be more emotional

Colon screenings are one of the least appealing procedures offered. They’re especially unappealing to men, who get the recommended screening much less often than their female counterparts.

To help one of our clients solve this problem, we created a colon screening campaign that reminded men of the things (and people) that count on them, and encouraged them to man up and get screened. 

Be (a little) more political

As millennials begin to age, they’re consuming more healthcare services than ever. And they have expectations for the brands they buy from, be they retail, tech or healthcare brands. One of these expectations is that brands take a stand for what they believe in. And that can make for sticky, breakthrough advertising. 

Take the Women’s Health Marketing Campaign we created to promote Bellevue Women’s Center. By tapping into the broader picture of what it means to be a woman in the early 21st century, we positioned Bellevue as the place that truly understands a woman’s unique health needs. The campaign generated more social engagement than any campaign in the client’s history. 

Be more dramatic

Many people who have heart attacks don’t see it coming. They may smoke, eat poorly and carry excess weight, but they still think heart attacks won’t happen to them. 

To break through, we created a cardiac campaign that featured a rugged farmer showing his honest emotions about the heart attack that took his father’s life, and the one that almost took his own. 

Other Ways to Make Healthcare Marketing Stick

These aren’t the only ways to build awareness in healthcare. There are lots of unique ways to do it. For more inspiration, check out some of our healthcare branding campaigns or healthcare service line marketing campaigns. 

If you’re looking for something a little more customized, our helpful staff would love to chat. Connect with us here.