St. Vincent’s HealthCare Finds a New Prescription to Fortify Its Brand Image
by Peter Hochstein
A few years ago, it became clear to the marketing people at St. Vincent’s HealthCare, a 903-bed, three-campus hospital system in Jacksonville, FL, that their institution’s brand image could do with some strengthening.
Little wonder. The organization’s awareness and reputation was in fourth place compared with the competition. That competition, in a crowded market with a population of almost 850,000, included a branch of the prestigious Mayo Clinic, Baptist Health with six different locations, University of Florida Health, an HCA facility, and a stand-alone hospital in relatively nearby St. Augustine.
So St. Vincent’s brought in Brown Parker & DeMarinis, also known as BPD, a Delray Beach, FL, agency that specializes in hospital advertising. In 2011, St. Vincent’s launched a new branding campaign. The situation changed, quickly and dramatically.
“As of 2013, we’re No. 1 in recall for residents of Jacksonville,” says David Meyer, St. Vincent’s chief strategy and marketing officer, citing results from a National Research Corporation study.