Penn State Health’s Brand Campaign Changes Perceptions of Cancer Care in a Rural Market
Penn State Health developed an integrated marketing campaign to build awareness for its comprehensive cancer care among consumers in rural Pennsylvania.
// By John Marzano //
Few names resonate more across Pennsylvania than Penn State and Hershey.
One is recognized worldwide for education, research, and, yes, football. The other immediately recalls chocolate, rural communities, and a town synonymous with health care. Together, they give Hershey-based Penn State Health a level of brand recognition that most health systems would welcome.
Yet every strong brand eventually faces the same question: How do you stand apart from competitors when consumers hear the same messages from every direction?
Stacy Beers, vice president of marketing, Penn State Health
That was the challenge Penn State Health set out to address as it looked to strengthen its position in cancer care by launching a new brand campaign.
“The opportunity wasn’t really to change the care that we delivered because we were always offering a high level of care,” explains Stacy Beers, vice president of marketing at Penn State Health. “It was an opportunity to change the awareness, and the perception of what people thought about us.”
In Part 1 of this two-part series, we explore the strategy, research, and organizational alignment behind the campaign. Part 2 will examine the creative execution, media strategy, and early performance results.