3 Heart Month Promotions Pump Up Awareness

February is American Heart month and while many hospital-based campaigns to promote cardio health enjoy high visibility, these three are particularly engaging.

Sometimes, hospital marketing is a no-brainer. It's an obvious choice for marketers around the country promote their organizations' cardiovascular service lines in February, a month now synonymous with heart health, thanks to the American Heart Association and the Go Red For Women campaign.

Yet, at the same time, herein lies the trouble: how do you make your hospital or health system rise above the rest when every other healthcare organization in town is marketing the exact same thing?

In 2014, several hospitals were able to stand out from the sea of red. Here are my three favorites.

1. Farmers' Market Festivities

Easton (PA) Hospital is providing heart health demonstrations and handing out giveaways every Saturday during February at the local farmers' market, which the hospital began sponsoring in December.

Each weekend, hospital staff is on site to give free glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure screenings, as well as the occasional lecture by a cardiac rehab team provider on the benefits of heart-healthy exercise. The hospital is also giving out free pedometers and American Heart Association recipe cards.

"It's crucial to be engaged and committed in the revitalization of Easton," Stephen Wilson, vice president of marketing for Easton Hospital, told the local paper. "We want to build a relationship with the vendors and people in the community. It's been a wonderful experience."

The heart screenings have been well attended by farmers' market regulars and other community members, including students from a nearby college. Events like this one are a smart way to introduce your organization and providers to a health-conscious audience, and make vital community advocates while you're at it.

2. Babies Go Red

The nursery at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, CA, has become a lot redder this February, and it's not due to the bright cheeks of screaming babies. The hospital decided to replace its traditional blue and pink newborn caps with red ones to raise awareness for women's heart health.

"For years our staff has been participating in National Wear Red Day every February as a way to raise awareness of heart disease among women," Vyshali Rao, MD, director of women's heart health at Huntington Hospital said in a press release. "Now, with the babies in the red beanies, we are reaching out to new moms to educate them on how to stop heart disease before it starts. Our hope is that each of these new families has many happy and healthy years together."

The caps were created and donated by a local clothing company. In addition to the hats, parents received American Heart Association resources on raising a heart-healthy family.

Again, this is a helpful example of introducing an existing audience to the importance of heart health. And, let's face it, the high-cuteness factor will guarantee plenty of press coverage.

3. Red Retail Fever

While it's efficient and often cost effective to promote your organization to an already health-conscious audience, sometimes you have to promote your services to those whose health might not be top of mind. St. Peter's Hospital in Helena, MT, did this when it partnered with a local Macy's to host a cardiovascular awareness event in the middle of the store.

Hospital staff, including one family medicine physician, were on site to give BMI and waist-to-hip screenings and provide information about healthy living, high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart health.

St. Peter's promoted the event on its Facebook page and asked its online fans to interact by submitting photos of themselves in their red gear. The winner, voted on by Facebook fans, will receive a silver and gemstone bracelet.

This retail promotion, combined with the interactive multimedia elements, will surely draw awareness to the hospital's cardiovascular services, even when red-fever has come and gone.