When advertising executives at First Strategic Group in Whittier, Calif., wanted to draw attention to its client's health information line as well as differentiate Ohio Valley Hospital from its more conservative, Catholic competitor -- they decided to try something unconventional.
They created a set of black and white newspaper ads that used cut-outs of faux "in search of" ads. They included "Desperately Seeking Something," about someone looking for a doctor who could help with a weird rash, and "Flu's Buggin Me," about a reader searching for advice on recurring flu symptoms.
The ads targeted the Stubenville, Ohio, area's population of those aged 15 to 64 and employed with insurance. However, marketers found 80 percent of the calls came from women. The ad ran for several months last year in the area's daily newspapers and resulted in hundreds of referrals to the hospital.
"The day after the first direct mail piece dropped, more than 400 [calls] came in," said account manager, Terri Langhans. "The client said he hated us because he was so overwhelmed." (First Strategic Group, 310/696-2556)