To rise above its for-profit rivals in Boston, the Caritas Christi Health Care System (CCHCS) used a value-based advertising strategy that stressed "people ahead of profits."
Launched last June, the image-building campaign - created by Kelly Habib John Integrated Marketing (KHJIM) agency in Boston - made spirituality its centerpiece strategy.
The print campaign debuted with CCHCS's president proclaiming "When healthcare providers start worshipping the almighty dollar, I think we're all in trouble."
And in one of the more daring ads, the tagline addresses a patchwork of religions: "Jewish. Muslim. Protestant. Catholic. If you're sick, put your faith in us."
Judy Habib, KHJIM's president, concedes that taking the spiritual high road could have potentially alienated some religious groups, but informal voice-of-customer research revealed that people didn't care about the hospital's Catholic affiliation, especially among the senior market. "The key was using spirituality in an appropriate way," says Habib.
The first phase of the campaign, which cost less than $500,000, featured four ads that ran exclusively in The Boston Globe and its magazine supplement.
So far, the ads have hit a positive community nerve, says Habib.
The values-based campaign generated favorable ink in the Boston Business Journal and the business section of The Boston Globe.
The ads also helped expedite CCHCS's acquisition of two area hospitals: Carney Hospital (Dorchester) and Elizabeth Seton Residence (Wellesley). "Before the campaign, we weren't considered a top-tier hospital; now we're taken a lot more seriously," says Patrice McCune, CCHCS's director of marketing. (CCHCS, Patrice McCune, 617/789-2334; KHJIM, Judy Habib, 617/241-8000)