How to Make Sure Consumers Ignore Your Advertising

By: Lisa Schneider, Creative Director Legato Marketing & Communications

Make it look and sound like everyone else. Show a line-up of doctors, close-ups of sweet little babies and proud parents, and a visual tour of technology. Always include these words—compassionate, caring, focused on your needs, experienced doctors, close to home, state-of-the-art technology, and advanced care.

Consumers already expect your healthcare organization to have these qualities. Tell them something more. Show them something unexpected. Take cues from advertising outside of the healthcare industry.

• Pay attention to the TV and radio spots you like and the outdoor and print advertising that grabs you. Then consider how you could use the creative techniques in your own advertising.
• Don’t look only to advertising for inspiration. Art museums, architecture, nature—nearly everything around you is a source of inspiration. Look at colors, textures, shapes. What brings out emotion, is pleasing to look at, makes you feel calm and relaxed? You may find a new logo color, a new icon shape, or even a different tone for your copy to evoke the feelings you want.
• People watch. Observe what they are reading, buying, looking at, and doing. You may find an activity that works well in a TV spot. Or how to advertise to specific age groups, depending on the activities they are doing.
• Place advertising in unexpected places. Have removable stickers printed that can be placed on employee cars. Be creative, and brief with message.  Example: CARe to know. XYZ Hospital.

Following the pack just makes you one more healthcare organization. To stand out, put aside your fear to do something different.

Embrace it. A campaign that is fresh, and outside of the usual healthcare advertising is hard to ignore.