• by Aaron Baar , April 26, 2011

The rural Minnesota and North Dakota hospitals that recently banded together under a group named Essentia want to reassure consumers that just because the name has changed, the quality of care at the hospitals remains the same.

Via a print, television and digital marketing campaign, the Duluth, Minn.-based hospital system (formed in late 2010) uses the work of three accomplished photojournalists to demonstrate the network's commitment to patient-centered care. Rather than use traditional doctor/patient photography found in most hospital advertising, Minneapolis agency Russell Herder took the work from three photojournalists (Joe Rossi, Becca Dilley and Britta Trugstad) to capture images from the clinics, hospitals and communities they serve. The intention is to demonstrate the network's understanding of its patients' lives in ways that other organizations can't.

One video spot depicts photos of people playing in the snow, gathering for coffee at local restaurants, and other iconic shots from the communities they serve. "It's true what they say -- 'There's no place like home,'" goes a voiceover. "And that's why at Essentia Health, you're a neighbor, not a number. After all, we live where you do, giving you our best, no matter what, no matter when. So if you're looking for a home for health care, there's no place like Essentia Health." The spot concludes with the campaign's tagline, "Here with you," as a message underscoring the network's commitment to and understanding of the communities it serves.

"At Essentia Health, 'Here with You' is far more than a marketing phrase. It's a belief system. We are truly engaged in helping patients and families achieve active and fulfilling lives in the large and small communities where they live," said Kris Olson, Essentia's vice president of marketing and physician services, in a statement. "The visual imagery in this campaign captures the core of our region and its people; from children in Fosston to fishing in Detroit Lakes, seniors in Ada to sledding in Fargo. We are more than physicians and nurses; we call this home as well."