• by Larissa Faw , April 3, 2017

North Memorial Health (NMH), headquartered out of Minneapolis, is rebranding all of its clinics to create a cohesive brand message that it asserts "humanizes the healthcare industry."  

Developed with agency BrandFire, the concept suggests the healthcare system is broken. Three in four people (73%) are unhappy with the current situation, citing long waits, old reading material in waiting rooms, feeling like their time isn’t valued, and poor customer service. 

NMH, therefore, is introducing the new tagline "That's better" to explain how its network is different.

TV spots show various patients complaining about the challenges within the healthcare system, like being diagnosed without receiving eye contact from the doctor and not knowing the cost of care before ending with the message that says: "We get it."  

"There is a sea of sameness when it comes to healthcare branding," says Trudy Marshall, director marketing, NMH. "So we, like other systems, focused on building awareness and driving consumers to make appointments at our network of clinics.

" Like every other health system there was no brand positioning.  And there was no system in our market, with the possible exception of a children’s hospital system, with a strong brand." 

According to NMH, the new brand position is designed to empower customers to achieve their best health.

“We had a hard time identifying who we should target with our marketing messages, typically females 25-54, which is way too broad," says Marshall, adding that the process took two and a half years. “We believe that a great brand states what the organization believes in. We believe healthcare is broken, and we are working hard to fix it." 

The multimedia campaign launches April 4 and includes OOH billboards, TV ads, an internal team member brand video, digital assets, print, as well as redesigned ambulances, logo, uniforms, and badges. The strategy will "completely dominate the Twin Cities market," she says. 

The commercials will run on broadcast TV, targeted cable networks, NPR and several local radio stations. The media budget for the year is focused on digital and outdoor, including bus wraps, billboards, advertising in health clubs and ice rinks, and a handful of sponsored healthy lifestyle events.