At their best, well-orchestrated healthcare campaigns can save hospitals, provoke community debate and change consumer perceptions of cancer care. This is just a snapshot of
what led a panel of judges to select five winning campaigns for Healthcare PR & Marketing News' Best Campaigns of 1999. The campaigns are an affirmation of how
research-driven marketing strategies and targeted message development can effect dramatic change in healthcare attitudes while tackling tough industry issues. Some of the feats
the winning campaigns were able to accomplish include rescuing a not-for-profit hospital from a for-profit fate and convincing state legislators to pass an insurance guaranty
fund. The campaigns also demonstrate how limited resources can go a long way -- from getting politicians to pass important legislation to commanding an authoritative presence
online.
This year marks the first time HPRMN's contest was expanded to recognize excellence in five categories: Best PR, Best Marketing, Best Integrated, Best Online PR and Best
Online Marketing.
The winning campaigns, which were judged on marketing/PR outcomes as compared to objectives, return on investment and overall strategic execution, are profiled in this special
issue.
They will be recognized at the Customer Based Marketing Strategies 2000 conference in Chicago on April 16-19 and include:
- Best PR: The MWW Group's HIP Liquidation campaign on behalf of the Medical Society of New Jersey;
- Best Marketing: Silver Cross and Medical Centers' Cancer Center Opening;
- Best Integrated: The Widmeyer-Baker Group's Save Our Hospital campaign on behalf of the Coalition to Protect Community Not-for-Profit Hospitals;
- Best Online PR: Outrider's FamilyMeds.com campaign for Arrow Corp.; and
- Best Online Marketing: i-frontier and Qwest's campaign Gastroenterology Therapy Online campaign for AstraZeneca.
Four campaigns also earned honorable mentions: - Burson-Marsteller's "Breathe" PR campaign for AstraZeneca;
- Cohn & Wolfe's Paxil PR campaign for SmithKline Beecham;
- Hill & Knowlton' s Patients' Coalition for Urgent Research integrated campaign for the Alliance for Aging Research; and
- The California Endowment's Building Healthy Communities integrated campaign.
(The MWW Group, Jon Hendl, 201/964-2372; Silver Cross Hospital and Medical
Centers, Judi Simoni, 815/401-1234, ext. 7559; The Widmeyer-Baker Group, Patrick
Riccards, 202/667-0901; Outrider, 541/617-5337; i-frontier, Vincent Moos, 215/755-2250,
ext. 117; Burson-Marsteller, Suzanne Ross, 312/596-3502; Hill & Knowlton,
202/944-5108; The California Endowment, Peggy Hinz, 818/703-3311, ext. 282)