According to the Kantar Media unit of WPP, a firm specializing in advertising and marketing services, U.S. hospitals spent a little more than $717 million on advertising in the first six months of 2011. This amount is up from $595.5 million spent on marketing and advertising in the first six months of last year.
According to the report, hospitals are changing their approach to advertising, which was traditionally characterized by television spots or print ads featuring medical staff in scrubs or a medical building. New hospital advertising campaigns now feature “catchier” phrases and patient testimonials, according to the report.
Recently, the University of Michigan Health System, based in Ann Arbor, launched a $3.5 million annual ad campaign to promote its new C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital, both of which are scheduled to open in November. Meanwhile, Stroger Hospital in Chicago is revving up its marketing efforts, with plans to spend as much as $1 million on TV ads for its marketing campaign next year.
Related Articles on Hospital Branding:
Marketing Your Hospital Through Audio Marketing: 8 Tips
Naming Challenges: When and Why to Consider a Brand Makeover
5 Tips to Improve a Hospital’s Brand
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