Those who use the Internet as an ad medium outnumber those who use TV or radio, according to a LinkedIn Research Network/Harris poll. But as advertising shifts online, consumers don't necessarily welcome it, the poll found.
During the current recession, marketers have learned that interactive marketing is more effective and advertising less effective per dollar spent, according to a five-year interactive marketing forecast by Forrester Research. Six out of ten marketers surveyed said they agreed with the statement "We will increase budget for interactive by shifting money away from traditional marketing." Just 7% said they have no plans to increase their marketing budget.
Hispanic consumers are more optimistic about their financial future than non-Latinos, but the recession is sharply eroding Hispanics' traditional brand loyalty and fondness for advertising, according to a report. Just 31% surveyed said "advertisements help me decide what to buy," a 16% drop from the number of respondents who agreed with that statement a year ago, according to the report from Forrester Research.
Gayle Sweitzer, director of marketing at Community Health Network in Indianapolis, projected that 2,000 locals would attend the grand opening of the organization's new flagship hospital. On the day of the event, 7,000 people turned up.
"It was a Sunday afternoon and it's a hospital building," Sweitzer says. "Everyone always wants to have their baby here, so I was thinking there will probably be a fair number of pregnant moms and we'll get some people out—but it's a Sunday afternoon in April, come on."
The expectation-exceeding event was one of the first indicators of the success of the "Community North Expansion" campaign, which won a gold award in the Best Integrated Campaign category at the 2008 HealthLeaders Media Marketing Awards. Community Health created the campaign to promote its new $180 million facility and because market research showed that Indianapolis consumers had a vanilla feeling about the organization.
Sweitzer and her marketing team worked with Indianapolis advertising firm Meyer & Wallis to create an integrated campaign consisting of print, outdoor, TV, direct mail, radio, and online marketing.
The following are highlights of Community Health's most impressive results:
Hospital admissions grew 8.42% over the prior year, and emergency department volume grew 8.73%.
Unaided top-of-mind awareness increased from 26% in October 2006 to 29% in June 2007.
Preference for Community Health for non-»» life-threatening situations rose from 27% to 30%. Its closest competitor is at 20% preference.
But what's most impressive is that the campaign generated an ROI of 1.06 to 1.
"I think the creative was interesting enough to people—that it was something they didn't expect—so when they saw it, it stood out and it created attention," she says."
Marianne Aiello is an editor with HealthLeaders Media. She may be reached at maiello@hcpro.com.
An individual mandate is among the most far-reaching changes envisioned this year by those pushing for healthcare reform. And it is one of the few common threads running through all three bills being considered in Congress, greatly increasing the likelihood it will survive the legislative process. Just as drivers must purchase auto insurance, the medical system of the future would put responsibility for health coverage first and foremost on every adult.
Current healthcare reform bills under consideration would expand the number of insured, but 90% of voters already have insurance. Congressional leaders say the bills would cut costs, but experts point out that covering the uninsured would cost billions. So the New York Times notes that the typical person watching is left wondering: What will this project mean for me, besides possibly higher taxes?