The pace at which consumer preferences and technology habits change can often be overwhelming to an industry constrained by significant regulation. In light of this and to inspire healthcare marketers, EMG has rounded up three marketing innovations in healthcare that are creating stronger connections between brands and their audiences while contributing to a more informed, healthier society.

• Spotlight #1: Boston Scientific CardioTeach iPad Application

IT industry association CompTIA recently released a survey that concluded 25% of healthcare providers surveyed use tablets at their practice, while another 21% expected to do so in the next twelve months. The same survey found 38% of physicians with smartphones use medical applications on a daily basis, with that number increasing to 50% in the next twelve months. While many of those mobile applications are strictly for information reference, dosage calculation, or some form of EMR/HER management, a new free iPad application from Boston Scientific aims to enhance in-person communication between physicians and patients.

CardioTeach (iTunes) is the industry’s first iPad application aimed at helping doctors communicate heart disease and treatment options to patients. Central to this application are detailed yet lay-person comprehendible illustrations of topics such as coronary disease and heart failure. What makes this application unique and innovative is that physicians can draw on and add custom notes to each of these illustrations as they walk patients through them. These customized slides can then be emailed directly to patients or other caregivers for examination and review post-appointment. For Boston Scientific, the result is positive brand equity in the most relevant of contexts. For physicians, the result is the enablement of more informative care. Finally, for the patient, the result is personalized education that endures outside of the examination room.

Noteworthy Innovation Summary: A brand develops a free mobile application to enhance in-person communication between physicians and patients, and ultimately, patient education of their own conditions.

Screenshot from Boston Scientific’s CardioTeach

• Spotlight #2: Community.upmc.com

With a need to satisfy everything from capital drives to patient enrollment in specialty programs, according to Kantar Media, advertising by American hospitals, clinics, and medical centers rose 20.4 percent in the first six months of 2011. Video-centric marketing campaigns have been a popular choice for many years now, and at last count by Ed Bennet of ebennett.org, 575 hospitals maintained a YouTube channel. One hospital system, UPMC, has taken an innovative approach to video, not in the method of delivery, but the approach to what story is told. Rather than concentrating on telling patient stories, or highlighting medical care, they have invested in telling the story of community impact instead.

Community.upmc.com is a website developed by UPMC to share videos on topics such as community health and job creation. What stands out about these videos is not just the innovative twist on the stories told by a hospital, but the way in which each video is shot. The beautiful, documentary-style video of a local janitorial service UPMC helped grow is as personal and inspiring as any patient testimonial we’ve seen. To round out the web experience and drive home the campaign message, an innovative section titled “Your Neighborhood” features a Google Map overlayed with pins detailing communities throughout Western Pennsylvania that UPMC is serving.

Noteworthy Innovation Summary: A hospital builds a video campaign that doesn’t focus on patients, yet achieves an equal or greater level of inspiration.

UPMC video on community job creation

• Spotlight #3: Branded Mobile Health Games

There has been an absolute explosion in mobile gaming among consumers. Industry resource Geekaphone estimates that 70 to 80% of all mobile downloads are games. According to publisher Rovio, Angry Birds alone has seen a half-billion downloads. Health-related mobile applications are also seeing a promising trajectory. Pyramid Research predicts that the 200 million mobile health applications in use today will triple by 2012. At the intersection of mobile games and mobile health applications are mobile health games, a segment that has gained significant traction and attention over the past year. These mobile applications are either games in the purest sense (see Lumosity’s “brain games”) or have game-like elements (for instance, points or rewards given for positive activity). They also range from wellness-oriented applications (like CardioTrainer from WorkSmart Labs) to applications focused on medication adherence (for instance, HealthPrize). Uniting all these applications is a desire to motivate healthier living through game mechanics.

Healthcare brands are playing a large part in driving the innovation around mobile health games, and in doing so are creating new opportunities to connect with consumers. Humana launched a Humana Games division, Kaiser Permanente is experimenting with games at its Kaiser Innovation Center, and the aforementioned Lumosity co-develops applications with the support of drug companies, insurers and major research universities. On this note, even if your organization doesn’t have the technical capacity to create mobile health games, the opportunities for co-branding and collaboration are numerous.

Noteworthy Innovation Summary: Affordable hardware (smartphones) paired with easy distribution (applications) to achieve remarkable results (a healthier society), brought to you by brands invested in creating a healthier society.

Screenshot from a Lumosity iPhone game

We hope these three spotlights have inspired thoughts about your own innovative approach to connecting with your audience, and if you’d like to continue the conversation, please leave comments below or reach out to EMG directly. We think about these types of approaches constantly and are always looking for brands to partner with.

Working  within the insurance and financial industries can be daunting in these times…especially when you are developing marketing creative that must make its way past the eyes of compliance authorities before it ever makes its way to website and advertising outlets.  I get asked quite frequently how to best work with the compliance departments within these companies so I thought I would provide a few tips that have always helped me avoid lengthy and sometimes exhausting back-and-forth conversations between our agency, our client, and the lovely attorneys!  (and I say this with love to all you attorneys out there…because you know we love you!)

• Know the Basics

Sending creative to compliance without knowing much about your client’s brand can end up creating a MAJOR roadblock for you in the future.  Be sure not to make this mistake!  Compliance departments review a lot of creative throughout the course of their day.  When they see common mistakes this can often make them upset and over scrutinize anything else you send to them in the future.  For example, in a promotional contest saying “Enter to win” rather than “Enter for a chance to win” is a big issue from a compliance standpoint.  Using the former rather than the latter implies that someone will “win” just by entering!  Also, understand when to use infamous word marks like ® and ^TM.  A good review of these rules can be found on Wikipedia.  Remember, simple mistakes like this can create an untrusting relationship with your compliance teams.

• Know Your Client

Understand your client’s brand and standard approach to content!  A good way to do this is to ask your client for a mix of creative from the past several years as well as their current website – so long as it is “current.”  By reviewing past and present creative you should be able to get a good idea of basic brand “dos and don’ts.”  For larger brands you work with, you may be able to get a brand style guide to help with this as well.

• Always Have a Backup

This is an easy one!  When submitting creative to a compliance department you should always have alternate copy and/or creative to submit with it.  This is especially important when you are unsure about your submission.  Sometimes it is best to submit both and get them both approved in case you want to do a test with your creative and let the consumer decide which they like the best. Ultimately, the moral is to never just have one idea!

• Research the Competition

When in doubt…look at the competition.  In all likelihood your competition is playing by the same legal rules.  Take screenshots of any examples you come across so that if you need to provide them to compliance you have examples of what the competition is doing!  Sometimes this can provide the ammo you need to push the envelope with your compliance department.

• Understand the Geography

In the insurance and financial industries many of the laws that govern promotions and advertising differ from state to state!  Additionally some products and services may not be applicable to certain geographic areas.  For example, some insurance companies do not provide insurance for fire or hurricane damage within certain geographic areas.  Be sure to know what the basic differences are in the states or regions you are working with so that you can anticipate these variances in your creative and with your media buys.  A solid understanding of these small variations also helps to create value in your relationship with your client and can help you differentiate you from the competition!

• Step into the Shoes of an Upset Customer

Another great way to prevent a potential law suit or issue with compliance is to put yourself into the mindset of an angry customer.  If a statement or offer you are making within your creative can be misconstrued or could make you upset…it most likely will make your customer upset.  Avoid this at all costs!!  Always think like a customer and you should keep yourself from getting into trouble.

I hope these tips help you to improve the efficiency in working with your clients and/or legal teams.  Ultimately, everyone needs to remember we are all on the same team when it comes to getting our message out there.  The better we communicate and anticipate each other’s needs the more efficient we will be to get our message to market!  Best of luck!

At my last employer, an automotive website, I was given the title “resident GM fanboy”, and deservedly so; I was born into a General Motors family and grew up in Detroit. This morning I read a TechCrunch headline, “Car-sharing Startup RelayRides Partners With GM”, and I was excited, but it wasn’t just the GM fanboy in me. I was excited more by three key lessons reinforced by this forward-thinking venture:

1. Seek out unconventional partnerships to reach unconventional audiences
Users of a service like RelayRides are likely to be young, urban, and digitally-connected, exactly the type of audience GM wants to target but often finds elusive. By ensuring a significant portion of RelayRides vehicles are its own, GM is getting its target audience to essentially test drive its vehicles without having to convince them to show up at a dealership. If that wasn’t brilliant enough on its own, the mechanics of the partnership actually generates revenue for GM from each “test drive” RelayRides facilitates!

2. Embrace disruptive technology even at the risk of disrupting one’s own business
On the surface, it sounds like the missions of these two companies couldn’t be in more direct competition. RelayRides thrives on consumers forgoing car ownership, GM thrives on consumers pursuing car ownership, and yet, they have managed to craft a symbiotic partnership. GM recognizes a significant market trend in peer to peer sharing (think Airbnb, not BitTorrent) and has strategically positioned itself to benefit from the trend rather than pretending it won’t affect them.

3. Through technology, a sustainable tomorrow and profits today are not mutually exclusive
I believe we are only at the cusp of using emerging digital technology to turn resource inefficiencies into opportunities for conservation and profit, and RelayRides is a perfect example. Beyond this, I’m encouraged that with a service like RelayRides, more people will feel empowered to rely on public transportation knowing they have inexpensive and reliable access to personal transportation. This results in a net gain to the environment and a boost to our local economies.

As a fanboy I’m thrilled to see GM involved in such an innovative partnership, and as a technologist and citizen, I’m beyond excited for what tomorrow may bring.

Dedicated to the most forward-thinking person I know, Steve Jobs.

For years, a few of us at EMG urged resident musicians to submit an audition video to ThinkLA’s AdJam: Battle of the Agency Bands. The interest never quite seemed to be reciprocated by those urged, but we pushed anyway – pushed pretty hard. For a few reasons:

1. Brian Lau, Project Manager: Along with Project Complication Diffuser Extraordinaire, Brian also happens to be a multi-talented musician (guitar, trumpet and drums), sound engineer, producer and song writer in his free time (he doesn’t sleep much so he has a lot of free time). We knew this guy had the goods to put together a winning audition video and a music set that would make us a real contender.
2. Ashley Matsui, Managing Director: We all know and love that her shamed hidden talent is playing the accordion. I’ll put it to you this way, putting her and that squeeze box on stage was reason enough.
3. EMG Nation: I would bet a million dollars that the EMG team has some of the people with the most groupie potential in the WORLD. I’m talking grown adults with pictures of their favorite stars on their bedroom walls RIGHT NOW. Grown adults spending thousands of dollars to be in the VIP section at a Prince concert. Grown adults painting their faces for USC Football games. We’ve got fans, people.
4. House of Blues, Los Angeles: Here’s the thing, it’s a killer venue. Amazing bands play at HOB on Sunset and to be able to cheer for your colleagues playing on the same stage on which Tupac gave his last live performance is unreal.
5. Healthy Competition: Speaking for myself, if there’s a winner and a gold medal of sorts involved, I would train weeks and weeks and weeks for a three legged race to emerge victorious. I think it’s safe to say that my colleagues’ hunger for any type of golden reward – say, a golden axe! – is somewhere on par with mine. Read more

Last week, more than 1,000 healthcare marketing, communications, physician relations and planning professionals took over the city of Phoenix to attend the SHSMD Annual Conference. After going through all of my notes, I knew I had to share at least two gems.

Appropriate Engagement is a Gateway to Appropriate Care

In healthcare, the key to volume is value. Understand who needs you, what they need most and how you can deliver appropriate care and information. Our digital social interactions will be mirrored clinically as healthcare evolves to meet the demands of integrated care. Your system of care is not inside your hospital but rather outside of it. This makes entry points such as your website and physician offices, more important than ever. [Summary of  Michael Sach’s keynote presentation on 9/16]

Going Global Begins with Going Local

28% of American adults use mobile and social location-based services. Whether you know it or not, your organization’s reputation is impacted by these services. Consumers can recount their experiences with your organization –good or bad – and that information is available in online searches around the world. There is the story that you tell through your marketing efforts, and then there is the story that consumers and other stakeholders are telling. Do they align for your brand? [Summary of Dean Browell’s IGNITE SHSMD session presentation on 9/15]

These take-aways resonated because of the challenges that marketers are up against, as we try to build long-term engagement in the face of a changing healthcare industry. Overall, the conference was a great reminder that there are so many ideas and solutions out there to help us do that. If you missed this year’s conference, be sure to attend next year in Philadelphia!

While I was preparing our healthcare marketing team – as well as our exhibition booth – for this year’s Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development’s (SHSMD) Conference I decided research the adaption and potential uses of Quick Response (QR) Codes in healthcare marketing. I know what you’re thinking: “That’s a random thought. Where did that come from?” Well the answer is simple: You see, we (the EMG marketing team) decided to display a poster to promote our upcoming healthcare marketing webinar. The focal point of that poster was a QR Code, which when scanned will take interested conference goers to the webinar’s registration page on their mobile devices.

But, I digress. The point of this blog is not to tell you how I got the idea for it, but to explore how QR Codes can be used in healthcare marketing. A quick description of a QR Code for those of you that don’t know: Have you ever seen those pixilated black and white squares? That’s a QR code, it’s a type of barcode. Better yet, scan the QR Code below the title with your smart phone (or just click it if you’d like)and it will take you to the QR Code Wikipedia page where you can learn more such as its history, standards, license, variants and etc.

Let me start of by making a case for the use QR codes in place of traditional URL links. For one, technology now allows mobile phones to scan these codes from print pieces (or television) and sends the user directly to any content located online. So now instead of typing in your organization’s URL into their phone’s/laptop’s browsers these consumers can get to your online content directly in the amount of time it takes to snap off a photograph from their phone. More importantly, QR codes enable organizations to track the source of traffic, cluing them in on where audiences are reading about them and their services. There you go, easier for the consumer and easier for the marketer; what more can you ask for?

Ok, so now that we all know the ins-and-outs of these little pixilated miracles let’s explore how you as healthcare marketers can use them to your advantage. Below is a list (in no particular order of importance) of ways I’ve found that they’ve either already have been used or can be used. Look these tactics over and if there are others that you feel are worth mentioning please add to the list in the comments section!

Internal Communications:

QR Codes can be used in your organization’s corporate employee newsletter or on your institution’s employee bulletin/schedule board. Placing the QR Codes in places such as this encourages employee interaction with your institution’s website, thus bolstering the internal lines of communication. It is, afterall, just as important to inform your staff as it is to inform your consumers. An uninformed staff can be a significant roadblock in your attempts to improve the patient experience.

Encouraging Patient Feedback:

Read more

EMG Hearts Phoenix! Our nation’s sixth largest city contains some of the highest summer temperatures, but this Valley of the Sun has much more to offer than heat. The SHSMD 2011 Conference is bringing some of healthcare’s best and brightest to Phoenix and we can’t wait to meet you.

See the ‘to-do’ list below, and we’ll see you in PHOENIX!

1. Visit EMG at Booth 709 to say “Hello!” and pick up your free “I Heart PHX” T-shirt!
2. Check out the conference’s TweetDisplay powered by EMG!
3. Share what you’re learning via Twitter (remember to hashtag #shsmd11), and we’ll select winners for a complimentary website UX audit.
4. We’ve compiled blog posts by or featuring a few of this year’s presenters. Check them out below, and follow them before and after the conference.

#SHSMD11 Presenter Blog Snippets

Michael Sachs

Kris Barlow

Mike Smith

Chad Mulvaney

Chris Bevolo

Chris Boyer

Ryan Squire

Emerson Smith

Scott Regan

David Williams

Bill Barberg

Ronald Culberson

In Q1 of 2011, the US Census Bureau reported that “more than half of the growth in the total U.S. population between 2000 and 2010 was because of the increase in the Hispanic population.”[1]  This is quite an interesting statistic for marketers and brands as we continue to strive to understand how to communicate to the growing dynamic of Hispanics within the US.

In June, 2011, The Tr3 Network (MTV, Musica y Mas, the bilingual/bicultural network for U.S. Latinos) unveiled research findings from The Maximo Report, a unique study that provides insights to a growing population being termed  the “New Generation Latino” or NGL – a growing young, bilingual, bicultural segment that crosses generations on U.S. soil, ranging from the more acculturated foreign-born to the newer U.S. born 2nd and 3rd generations.

The Maximo Report reveals nearly 50% of NGLs seek more bilingual/bicultural programming and over 30% look for ‘mainstream’ English-only content. NGLs hunger for more bi-lingual, bi-cultural programming, specifically content where “they are the star,” “their lives, entertainment interests and issues are authentically represented,” and “their American and Latino sides meet.” [2]

Some of the key findings include:

• NGLs are language neutral regarding TV content, but do want to see themselves and their dual culture lifestyle in the U.S. represented.

• Word-of-mouth is a vital tool that NGLs use to discover new brands and products. Factor in their intense social media consumption, it’s no wonder the majority of them have learned of a new brand or product via social media.

• For NGLs, peer-to-peer recommendations are highly valued and sought after.  Whether it be in-person or virtual, NGLs are leveraging their vast social networks to spread the word (positive or negative) about brands. In fact, NGLs are more likely to forward opinions and info about a brand compared to their Caucasian counterparts.

• NGLs are blending the Latino and “mainstream” American aspects of their identity routinely and frequently. Not only are they doing this themselves, but they expect their media and marketing to reflect this as well. In fact, more than 7 of 10 NGLs think that seeing an English language commercial on Spanish language TV is a good thing.

• NGLs are seeking out “in-culture.” Just like they live much of their daily lives, NGLs want to have media and programming options that reflect the various aspects of their identity, regardless of language. In fact, when asked which type of content they want more of, “in-culture” content was #1.

In our recent agency work with State Farm in California, Earthbound Media Group has leveraged insights from the The Maximo Report to target NGL’s in an attempt to align the State Farm brand with this unique segment.  Running in-language and English ads on networks such as Mojiva, AOL Latino, MSN Messenger, and MSN Latino, we promote State Farm’s relationship with culturally relevant partners such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chivas USA, Gibson Ampithetre, Six Flags Magic Mountain, and Live Nation to drive NGL consumers to sign up to win tickets to their favorite events.  Consumers are sent to www.winwithstatefarm.com where they can view the promotions in English or Spanish and share/recommend the promotion to their friends and family on their favorite social media networks.

In-language promotion for Chivas USA on State Farm Promotions Portal - www.winwithstatefarm.com

Embracing the tactics outlined in The Maximo Report with respect to culturally relevant promotions, running English and in-language media on culturally relevant media outlets, providing in-language and English brand experiences, and allowing social sharing and peer-to-peer recommendations, Earthbound Media Group and State Farm are seeing great success communicating to this unique and growing segment!

Sources:

[1]  US Census Bureau website news:  http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb11-cn125.html

[2]  NGLC & Motivo Insights, “The Maximo Report” 2011, NGLs: 14-34 U.S. Born or Foreign-born in the U.S. 15+ years:  http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-ever-research-targeting-new-generation-latinos-ages-14-34-reveals-nearly-50-seek-more-bilingualbicultural-content-124354893.html

According to eMarketer, an estimated 91 million US consumers will access the internet on a mobile device at least once a month by the end of this year (up from 77.8 million in 2010). With that, it sure does appear that mobile usage will only continue to be on the rise for those of all ages, EVEN OUR GRANDPARENTS!

Our lifestyles – more than ever before – are becoming increasingly dependent on mobile devices. I recently asked my colleague Ashley Matsui before she headed out for vacation “Is it possible to do a complete mobile detox during your trip?” Considering all the apps out there assisting in booking  hotels, airfare, managing your trips, listening to music at the airport, taking videos,  and pictures – we decided it is somewhat impossible to do so, given how spoiled we have become with having everything at our fingertips.

We thought narrowing down some applications that we’ve used and found helpful may help you to at least attempt  a minitox.

1. Tripit This travel app excels at rendering confusing travel itineraries in easy-to-read formats for desktop and mobile access. If you have an Android it can automatically grab all of your travel arrangements right from your GMAIL account and pull it into your mobile phone! This includes your flight, hotels, car rentals, etc. TripIt also informs you of delays and changes to your itinerary via text, email or whatever you prefer quicker than the direct sites do.. And you can share your reservations with those you’re depending on for airport pick-ups or traveling with , etc. Another fun feature is that if you input the addresses of any or all of your planned stops on the iPhone it will link you to Google maps with one easy push of a button.

2. Poynt – A GPS-enabled app, Poynt allows you to find businesses, people, movies, restaurants, and gas stations close to your current location. Poynt’s movie feature even includes TRAILERS!

3. RoomSaver – This hotel booking app helps you find a nearby inexpensive hotel room. RoomSaver lets you enter a location or if you’re not sure where you are you can use your phone’s GPS to pinpoint your position, and then it generates a list of lodgings in the vicinity that honor RoomSaver discounts!

4. Yelp! – You have to eat, don’t you? Yelp makes finding good places to eat a breeze; it will use your geo location to help you find things nearby your current location, or a street address of your choosing. From there filter it by cost, cuisine, name, neighborhood and even ambiance! And it’s not food specific, so if you’d like a straight-razor shave in Chicago, IL, or a hot rock massage in Tempe, AZ, this is the app for that!

5. UStream – Our colleague Elliot Darvick has introduced us to this easy to create live online video site where you can stream your vacation live after creating your very own FREE account. And yes, for YOUR GRANDPARENTS to keep in touch and head over to your station from their iPad and catch up with you wherever you are!

So, even though a vacation might not provide a complete mobile detoxification, it certainly can minimize the amount of media you’re inundated with during your regular life. And so, to all planning on a few days away from the office, enjoy your minitox this summer!

Ashley Matsui & Rebecca Scherer

*Image Credit: Matt Vincent

In the past year, we’ve seen numerous impactful moments occur within – or result from – social media. Sure, the fact that social networking is widely popular, extremely influential and growing at an inordinate pace is no new concept to discuss but bear with me while I dive further into one of the more recent events.  Some of the aforementioned impactful moments include the Pope sending out his first Tweet, the nations of Egypt and Tunisia ousting their president’s with – among other protesting tactics – protests and pleas via social networks, a Congresswoman from Arizona announcing her appearance at a local supermarket via social media only to subsequently endure a violent assassination attempt, a major motion picture about the early beginnings of one of the most popular social networks receive eight Academy Award nominations, the Women’s World Cup Final setting a Twitter record for number of tweets per second, Charlie Sheen gaining one million Twitter followers in a little more than 24 hours and – last, but certainly not least – President Obama hosted our nation’s first Twitter Town Hall on July 6.

Consider that last phrase on its own: “President Obama hosted our nation’s first Twitter Town Hall.”

Twitter (or social media as a whole) has found itself as a part of the evolution of the democratic process. In the practice of problem-solving through group efforts, politicians have always needed to face or speak directly to their constituents – this has gradually become easier with the progression of technology. As a nation, our presidents have used town hall meetings, whistle-stop tours, motorcades, radio addresses, televised speeches, websites, YouTube, Facebook and now Twitter.

The President’s Town Hall was an open invitation from the White House for all Twitterati (as they are called) to play a part in a direct discussion about national and global economic issues. Participants were asked to include the hashtag #AskObama and the questions that were addressed were selected both in advance and in real-time. According to TwitSprout, 94 thousand tweets were sent during the event and 61 thousand of those were questions using the assigned hashtag, the remaining tweets were either promotional tweets or tweets discussing the town hall (you can find more stats on Mashable).

Since the event, there has been a little bit of backlash about the town hall, with some claiming that it wasn’t a town hall at all because of how President Obama was able to ignore a majority of the questions. Now, I won’t say whether or not I agree with that sentiment. My objective here isn’t to write a political blog. In viewing this event from an objective and unbiased standpoint, I can see how monumental this event is. Consider it as one of your grandparents would: We were able to send a direct question to the leader of our country without leaving our house and in the matter of seconds. To them – as it is to me – that is phenomenal. Of course, to some, there was room for improvement, but what prototypes are ever perfect? This is truly a huge step in the evolution of the way our politicians communicate with their constituents, and we have social media to thank for it. I see it as a win for both democracy and Twitter (if you weren’t on Twitter before you might be more likely to want to be on it when the next twitter town hall comes around). Are you as impressed about this event as I am? Let us know in the comments.

Bryce Wilson

Marketing & PR Coordinator