There are always those individuals who enter a room and everyone stops to stare. They radiate confidence as they move through the room shaking hands and striking up conversations about the power client they recently acquired. This individual isn’t me. In fact, I tend to be the one staring. Three years ago, as a freshman [...]
Next week starts the MomDot.com-contrived National PR Blackout Challenge. I’ve found myself reflecting on the relationship between PR professionals and “mommy bloggers” – particularly the winding road that leads to this type of blackout or boycott. On a superficial level, the relationship seems too good to be true. PR professionals exist to encourage word-of-mouth conversations and mom [...]
Authenticity Awarded in Healthcare Marketing
Today in the New York Times, there is a story about how hospitals are moving toward the use of real, unvarnished stories about patients in their advertising.
We couldn’t agree more. And it seems like our colleagues feel the same way, which is why we’re the fortunate recipients of several healthcare marketing awards. Great hospitals have great stories to tell We’re fortunate to work with great clients like Riverside Methodist Hospital that have allowed us to tell their stories in a real, [...]
Teens: Hard to Reach, Harder to Engage
The transition from childhood to adolescence is a big turning point — socially, mentally, physically and emotionally.
Just ask any parent with children between the ages of 8 and 14. This generation is media-wise, sophisticated, technically-savvy, and they’re influential trendsetters who are growing up much quicker than previous generations. I see this every day in my two daughters, ages 12 and 14. If you’re a parent of a tween, teen or have any [...]
Twitter in the Operating Room
Tweeting live surgeries is catching on as more health care systems embrace social media. A couple months ago at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, surgeons used robotic surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from a man's kidney and a benign tumor from another patient's brain. Earlier this month, a woman had a robotic hysterectomy at Sherman Hospital in Illinois, and last week, surgeons at Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center in Wisconsin perfomed a double knee replacement. These surgeries are very different, but all of them were simultaneously broadcast via Twitter. While operating surgeons use Twitter to give short, real-time updates about the procedure. A Peek into the Operating Room I am not a nurse, doctor or other trained medical professional, but I have some medical knowledge and have watched surgeries performed firsthand. I've also become an avid Twitter user, so I decided to follow along when I heard about Aurora Health's decision to broadcast the procedure. I opened up TweetDeck and followed along, reading their tweets of the procedures. I was fascinated at the speed, precision and honesty of the surgeons doing the double knee replacement. Pictures of the actual procedure were also tweeted. No, I wasn't grossed out (I seriously love watching this kind of stuff), but those faint of heart followers can choose to not open and view the photos that are tweeted, another advantage of Twitter. (more...)
Gaining ground
Community benefit reports offer an incredible opportunity to healthcare brands.
AIG =Arrogance, Incompetence, Greed. That’s just one of many negative shots being lobbed at companies in the heart of America’s economic crisis. Big businesses wrought with financial problems are being blasted by the public and media alike. The public’s frustration with these companies can very likely result in spillover to the healthcare arena. With the rollout [...]
What it means to be a storyteller
As an Account Supervisor at Fahlgren, I've been a part of several campaigns for healthcare clients ranging from small non-profits to complex health systems. I have traveled from California to New York to Ireland for my clients, and I have learned about everything from hip replacements to minimally invasive prostate surgeries to cancer treatment. All of these experiences comprise the best part of my job - telling my clients' stories in meaningful and impactful ways. The story of Riverside Methodist Hospital stroke patient Sarah Lancaster is one I'll never forget. We were in one of our brainstorming meetings with the client, which are always open and honest to uncover the best stories which in turn inspire entire campaigns. In this particular meeting we learned about Sarah who, thanks to Riverside's exceptional and innovative Merci Retriever stroke care, fully recovered from a serious stroke and went on to travel to Egypt just months later. The Power Of Storytelling
After the campaign began and Sarah’s story was out in the community via powerful television, print and web advertisements, we heard another great story — a woman who suffered a stroke went directly to Riverside Methodist Hospital. After she too recovered completely from her stroke her family asked her, “Why Riverside?” (more…)
What’s your brand story?
I'd like to welcome Alden Schutte to our blog as a guest author. Alden is a brand strategist with Fahlgren's healthcare group and brings a wealth of experience to our agency. For more than 35 years, his belief in the power of simple, meaningful brand stories has meant big results for his many clients. What's your brand story?
By Alden Schutte Over the years we’ve asked that question to executives of all types of brands – including companies and organizations – and what continues to surprise us is the inability of most to easily deliver a succinct answer. One of the most basic ways we make sense of our lives, our world and [...]
In the past few weeks, I’ve noticed a huge increase in the number of high school friends who are on Facebook. It’s fascinating to see what people look like and what they’re doing 25 years after graduation. Though I fall in the Baby Boomer generation, I tend to think of myself in the Cusper generation, which [...]