Feb

Boomers, social media and healthcare marketing

More than 60% of boomers consume and contribute to social technologies like blogs, social networks, microblogging, podcasts and online videos, according to a recent report from Forrester. This is up from roughly 40% a year ago. The implications for healthcare marketers are clear – either integrate social into your marketing efforts or risk becoming irrelevant.

Here are some tips on getting started:

• understand the different segments of boomers in terms of how they use social technologies, e.g. their interests, goals, benefits and rituals (here’s an introduction from the book Groundswell)

• confirm and prioritize your business and social media objectives

• identify your priority stakeholder groups based on your objectives

• develop your social media platform, e.g. is it education, empowerment or both

• determine the social media strategies that make sense to reach your stakeholders, e.g. content and conversations, types of channels and promotion activities

• determine the roles and responsibilities of those who will be driving and influencing your efforts, e.g. researching and developing content, providing videos, ongoing execution, conducting analysis, implementing refinements, etc.

• clarify and develop your corporate social media policies

Importantly, it takes time to ramp up with social media. It takes time to engage people, to draw them into conversations, to build credibility and relationships. But the wonderful thing about social media is that you can take baby steps. Steps that are extremely efficient and that allow you to learn and quickly adjust as you go.

Jan

The impact of baby boomers on health and healthy lifestyle brand marketing

Baby Boomers represent one of the few growing markets around. While many marketers remain focused on the stagnant under-50 market, the 50+ market (40 million and growing) continues to show tremendous growth.

Baby Boomers (typically defined as those folks born between 1946 and 1964) are the largest buying group in America. They represent the generation with the greatest buying power in the history of the country (controlling approximately 70% of the nations wealth) and account for 40% of total consumer demand – even in a recession.

To attract this huge segment, a brand needs to:

• understand the segments that make up the 50+ market
• treat these customers with respect and dignity
• appeal to their desire to feel, think, act and stay young
• beyond products, offer “life-enhancing” experiences
• support their products with great service
• be positive, as people don’t want to be reminded that “time is winding down”
• develop communications that show you understand the audience

For insight into this demographic, check out babyboomer-magazine.com.

Jan

Healthcare: Direct to consumer disease control and prevention

Super Protection from Super Bugs

This convenient PatientPak kit is a smart idea and offers excellent protection against hospital Superbugs and viruses as well as at-home protection. It’s a simple, highly desirable disease prevention product that I believe has legs beyond its current market focus. Sold and marketed direct to consumers instead of through health institutions, PatientPak is a collection of antimicrobial and other hygiene items for those planning a hospital visit. Its aim is to kill 99.99% of bugs, including MRSA, salmonella and E. coli.

Jan

DTC healthcare marketing: drug ads are losing their punch

Should this really come as a surprise that all the messages that would make one think that they’re watching the pharma drug channel (mixed in with some college and pro sports) aren’t delivering results. How much can you possibly interrupt people with messages that begin to blur together before you start to re-evaluate your practices. >http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28584952/

Nov

Lessons from Microsoft – when not to revitalize a health brand

Saw the brilliant Apple tv spot (for the umpteenth time) in which “Bill” is apportioning dollars between funding Microsoft advertising and fixing Vista. Started to think about how Microsoft should respond to Apple’s attack ads, separate from their multi-hundred million dollar “I’m A PC” campaign.

Vista-specific advertising isn’t the answer, because the product is inferior. So why fuel the fire even further. In addition, why spend more money giving Apple any more air time. Also, what could Microsoft possibly say that doesn’t make them look foolish – “we’ve finally fixed a product that we know really sucked; sorry to the millions of people who suffered through the Vista experience.”

I think that Vista’s reputation is so tarnished at this point that it doesn’t pay to try to revitalize it. And how do you tell people, without acknowledging that you screwed up in the first place (along with consumers knowing full well that your apology isn’t quite as sincere as when J&J masterfully handled their Tylenol scare).

How about evolving away from Vista. From a product with an awful reputation that’s a drag on the corporate brand. Introduce (and fix) the next generation of operating system. It would certainly give Microsoft a cleaner slate. And a new platform to drive what can only be a more positive message. Give all those people who proudly stand up and say “I’m A PC” something to be proud of — because they’re most likely using PC’s now only because they have to. Otherwise, why would they want to. Unless you’re prone to lemming tendencies.

And when they do introduce the new operating system – look beyond advertising. Consider the strategic use of PR – to help impart a message that sounds strong enough to come from a leader but humble enough to acknowledge that you screwed up – and it won’t happen again.

Sep

Imagine what health brand marketers could do with $300MM

Microsoft just broke their new three hundred million ad campaign — designed (I presume at some point) to sell more PC’s by creating a more favorable impression of Microsoft’s Windows operating system. Well, I don’t get it. The spots are humorous. It’s fun to see Jerry and Bill side by side. But they’re actually kind of boring (reinforcing the image Microsoft is trying to dispel). And don’t get how it’s going to move the sales needle when Microsoft equals Vista – the enemy of all who work on the PC.

Imagine what good health+ healthy lifestyle brand marketers could do with $300MM.

Imagine you did. What BHAG’s (big hairy audacious goals) would you set out to achieve. Now open your eyes, but don’t let reality set in. How could you achieve these same goals with available resources. How can you be more insightful about your audiences (and your audience segmentation), more creative about what you provide that others don’t, and more imaginative about your tactics? Just a thought.

Jul

My health brand, my way – providing personalized health and wellness brand experiences

Who’d have thought that Burger King could see into the future of health brand marketing. Remember their “have it your way” campaign? Were they really ahead of the curve in customizing brands to meet our individual needs.
From custom protein shakes, to skin care products, beverages and even senior-focused retailers such as HOJO in Lyon, France – providing “just-for-me” experiences is the most effective way possible to ensure brand relevance and connection.
One important impact of this, however, is how companies individualize the associated customer service experience to align with brand delivery.

Mar

Think of your consumer as another healthcare channel

No longer do you sell your healthcare services through the traditional channels. Your consumers have not only begun to direct marketing messages, they are also delivering those messages. Which means they have become a part of the Channel.

So healthcare marketers need to learn how to utilize this new channel opportunity. The tactics are going to be different than for traditional channels, but the potential benefits are tremendous in terms of:

• spreading the word

• relevance of the messenger

• credibility of another consumer

• believability

Feb

Health brand marketing – learning to pull versus push

To push is to press against something or somebody in order to move that object or person. Today, if we push, we will move audiences away from our products and services. On the other hand, if we pull, we are more likely to draw a willing crowd.

The mass audiences we once advertised to are now splintered into thousands of niche groups demanding personalized marketing (if they agree to receive it at all). Pull, the ability to attract desired audiences, has become a critical method to grow and deepen customer relationships.

Facilitating the freedom of consumers to engage when and how they want to (to pull them in), will mean the difference between winning and losing in this new environment. Pull tactics include:

• blogging

• podcasting

• webinars

• white papers

• newsletters/e-zines

• on-site content

• experiential events

• mobile

• social networks

• viral video

• games

By surrounding products and services with the communication, community and collaboration opportunities that new technologies provide, brands become more attractive – engaging – and become destinations that consumers value and want on their own terms.

Failing to adapt to these new realities will mean that you eventually go the way of the dinosaur.