"We're in an area were a lot of local hospital are very interested in the opportunity of branding themselves as an academic hospital," says Julie Amor Director of Marketing for The University Of Kansas Hospital. "We've been an academic hospital for more than a hundred years. This campaign was created to be educational and as a way to differentiate ourselves within the market." The campaign, which uses print, billboards, TV, and radio, maintains a strong focus on the brand and the history of the brand while pushing campaign messages of "uncommon care" and the choice for academic medical care over any other.
This push can be seen particularly well in the TV spots which showcase the hospital's long line of historic accomplishments. The spots, which feature The University Of Kansas Hospital's long time spokesperson, actor Tom Skerritt (who starred in such films as Steel Magnolias and A River Runs Through It, among others), use an unusual, panning, two-dimensional film style. Each spot opens with Skerritt introducing the viewer to The University Of Kansas Hospital's history. Skerrit takes the viewer along a timeline of accomplishments paired with unique two-dimensional imagery that is displayed before a three-dimensional background. "That technique was helpful," says Amor. "Covering 100 years of history in 30 seconds is a challenge, and it allowed us to do so in an interesting way."
"Overall this is a branding campaign with the intention of educating people on academic medicine," says Amor. "I think one of our billboards sums up the campaign best. It says, 'Before it was called academic medicine, we practiced it.'"
For more information on the campaign, go to The University Of Kansas Hospital's Website, www.kumed.com.
Kandace McLaughlin is an editor with HealthLeaders magazine. Send her Campaign Spotlight ideas at kmclaughlin@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.