The marketing team at Baton Rouge (LA) General Medical Center (BRGMC) wanted to do something different for its annual breast cancer awareness campaign. But they had to do it on a shoestring: The organization wasn't the market leader in oncology service lines and had a smaller marketing budget than the competition, the hospital wrote in its submission essay for the HealthLeaders Media Marketing Awards.
"We are constantly focused on maximizing our creativity and doing a lot with a little," they wrote.
Because national breast cancer awareness month coincided with the 2007 elections in Louisiana and because the region has a rich history of political satire, the hospital devised a unique political campaign of its own: a mock online election featuring five well-known community members who agreed that the winner of the mock election would wear pink on Election Day.
Jokes about voting early and often and some of the funniest press releases our judges have ever read set the lighthearted and memorable tone for the campaign. Yard signs, campaign buttons, cardboard cutouts of the candidates wearing pink boas, and other creative collateral showed the thought and effort that went into this campaign. The team carefully vetted its candidates, choosing men who are well-known in the community, have a personal connection to cancer and a passion for early detection, and would embrace the campaign's spirit.
"Obviously, a lot of great strategic thinking went into this campaign, and it showed," said one judge. "Outstanding!"
The goal of the campaign was to raise awareness of breast cancer, of course, but also to increase name recognition and market share for BRGMC. During the four-week campaign, the microsite got 1.2 million hits and banner ads received 1.1 million impressions and 5,600 click-throughs. In all, 24,000 people cast votes, sent 150 e-mails to the candidates, and ordered 200 breast health shower cards. What's more, the campaign ultimately won BRGMC a platinum award among large hospitals in the community relations category at the marketing awards.
"Objectives were more than clear, and the results speak for themselves. This was truly an ambitious and successful initiative," one judge said. "You absolutely hit the target of raising awareness and engaged the entire community," said another.
This Campaign Spotlight was excerpted from Hospital Campaigns That Work, featuring the winners of the 2008 HealthLeaders Media Marketing Awards.
Marianne Aiello is an editor with HealthLeaders Media. Send her Campaign Spotlight ideas at maiello@healthleadersmedia.com. If you are a marketer submitting a campaign on behalf of your facility or client, please ensure you have permission before doing so.