The TV spots that were created each focus on a different service line, and feature the friend or partner of a patient that was treated at Abington. What's truly unique is the emotional nature of each spot and the humorous twist it takes.
An example of this can be seen in the spot called 'the runner.' The spot starts with a woman running a race. The woman starts by saying that she is running the race in honor of her boyfriend who needed heart valve surgery a year ago. She continues by saying that his condition was so bad that the doctors at Abington had to operate on him for over five hours. However, just when the viewer is completely emotionally drawn to the spot, it takes a turn by saying that, "when it was over there wasn't anything more they could do. I wish he was running besides me right now. But he ran ahead a couple miles back and I haven't seen him since. Show-off."
That light-hearted turn on what was an expectedly bad conclusion to the patient story took a risk that ended with a positive result. "It was critical for us to deliver the message in a way that reaches people emotionally," says Neil. "We're doing what no one [else] is by making our advertising personal and emotional." Though the campaign is still running baseline research shows great recall, which is also a positive twist on measurable results.
Kandace Mclaughlin is an editor with HealthLeaders magazine. Send her Campaign Spotlight ideas at kmclaughlin@healthleadersmedia.com.