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Celebrity Ties Benefit Hospitals—When Alignment is Right

 |  By Marianne@example.com  
   June 13, 2012

There is a certain finesse to choose the right celebrity spokesperson for any organization—but it is an especially lofty task for a hospital. The actor or sports figure (usually they are film stars or professional athletes) must be well known, but not too flashy; relatable, but respected; amiable, but competent and informed.

While, it is a difficult undertaking to find the right star for a hospital advertising campaign, the University of Kansas Hospital has done it successfully. Twice.

Choosing a celebrity spokesperson
The idea of using a celebrity spokesperson for The University of Kansas Hospital arose more than 10 years ago when the organization decided to change the direction of its campaign to solidify its position as a leader in academic medicine.

As the only academic medical center in the state, The University of Kansas Hospital wanted to ensure that any communication about academic medicine and patient care truly stood out. Marketers believed then as they believe now that how they communicate is another reflection of how the organization is different. 

Marketers chose to do this by hiring a celebrity spokesperson and they knew they had to be very selective about who carried their message.

"The celebrity is not the star; our medicine is the star," says Julie Amor, vice president of marketing at The University of Kansas Hospital. "So we needed to make sure that this person first and foremost was an advocate for academic medicine and second, whose presence enhanced but did not overshadow the message."

The key to The University of Kansas Hospital's campaign—and it's very successful—is that finding a spokesperson with "star-power" was not a priority.

"It was about looking for someone who matched the qualities, characteristics, and culture of the institution," explains Patti Winegar, managing partner for SPM Marketing & Communications, the La Grange-IL firm The University of Kansas Hospital works with on the campaign.

"Academic medical centers are a vital force in advancing medical achievements in the United States. Their discoveries change lives. It makes sense that institutions of this level of importance would capture the attention of prominent people."

And the prominent person The University of Kansas Hospital first signed on in 2004 was Tom Skerritt, of "Top Gun" and "Steel Magnolias" fame.

"Tom Skerritt became a part of our family for five years," says Amor. "He walked the streets of our city when he was here filming [and] he attended several functions at the hospital."

Marketers chose Skerritt because he was from the Midwest and possessed understated presence, believability, and trustworthiness.

Transitioning from one spokesperson to another
But in 2011, The University of Kansas Hospital realized their message was evolving. They had something new to say and they wanted a new spokesperson to say it.

"Strategically our message showcases accomplishments that are of national importance," Amor says. "Creatively we decided to deliver this message not with bigness but with great intimacy, and elected to use a woman."

The University of Kansas Hospital and SPM marketers wanted to find someone who would be a good complement to Tom because he was so liked within the organization and in the community.

"[We wanted] someone who had his same understated, yet powerful, presence," says Winegar. "Someone who was screen-familiar but not paparazzi-popular. Someone who was believable, warm and credible. And had a good reputation both on and off the screen."

When The University of Kansas Hospital finally chose the actress to replace Skerritt—Joan Allen ("Nixon," "Pleasantville," and the Jason Bourne series)—it was such a good fit they felt like Tom was passing the baton to a friend. And, as they found out later, Skerritt and Allen are, indeed, friends.  

Though the transition did evoke some sadness for the loss of Skerritt internally and externally, the hospital and the community quickly warmed to Allen.

"Joan Allen has been embraced in the same way that Tom was," Amor says. "And that was part of our plan. They are both Midwesterners and share like characteristics."

Evaluating a spokesperson's impact
The message that The University of Kansas Hospital hoped to communicate when it launched this campaign in 2004 was heard by the community loud and clear, thanks to Skerritt and Allen.

Discharges are up 56% since 2002 and volume has climbed steadily even at the height of the economic downturn. Marketers believe the campaign has played a significant role in these statistics.

Consumer surveys also found that unaided recall of the organization has increased 38.5% since 2002.

"The public also associates The University of Kansas Hospital with the academic medical center difference more than ever before," says Amor. "That association has climbed 66% since 2002, meaning people understand us to be the premier academic medical center in the region."

The University of Kansas Hospital's campaign proves that, when done right, using a celebrity spokesperson can enhance an organization's image and amplify its message. But a well-known spokesperson is not a cure-all. The campaign has to be done in the right way for the right reasons.

"Engaging a celebrity works best for a hospital that starts with a certain magnitude," Winegar says.  "A sustainable and credible magnitude. Otherwise, merely attaching a celebrity to a weak brand is simply not believable—and the market knows it."

Marianne Aiello is a contributing writer at HealthLeaders Media.

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