Healthcare | Influencer Endorsement Campaign

Dartmouth-Hitchcock

Overview

Dartmouth Health, a best-of-class healthcare system rooted in outstanding medical expertise, embarked on a healthcare marketing initiative to enhance its Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine service line by leveraging its association with Olympic Gold Medalist Hannah Kearney.

Kearney, a VT native and a former Dartmouth Health patient, underwent successful knee surgery and rehabilitation at Dartmouth Health, which contributed to her gold medal victory in freestyle skiing at the 2010 Olympics.

Recognizing the need for a partner with an understanding of healthcare marketing and unique insights into the New England market, the system partnered with EVR Advertising.

Challenge/Objective

EVR was challenged with leveraging Hannah Kearney’s high-profile success story to elevate the image of Dartmouth Health’s Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine service line. The objective was to position Dartmouth Health as a leading provider of advanced medical techniques in the region, aligning with its core brand values of delivering excellence in healthcare.

Strategic Approach

EVR Advertising introduced the campaign theme “Decide, Dedicate, Deliver,” which resonated with Dartmouth Health’s audience and aligned closely with its mission to deliver top-quality healthcare services. The campaign leveraged Hannah Kearney’s story through a robust media strategy and a public relations push, which included live appearances.

Tactics

A photo shoot was conducted with Hannah that highlighted her youthful, dynamic personality. These images were then creatively positioned in a way that allowed her personality to shine through while keeping the focus on the agility she regained thanks to her time with Dartmouth Health. A memorable print ad captured Hannah mid-freestyle, upside down, emphasizing her exceptional journey.

Media-wise, the campaign encompassed television, billboards, national print ads, transit advertising and digital initiatives. Hannah was also featured at the Boston Ski & Snowboard Expo in a Dartmouth Health booth, where her appearance drew lines of fans and media interviews. The Dartmouth Health booth, designed to showcase Hannah’s likeness from the photo shoot, was aptly themed “Gold Medal Medicine.”

Results

At the end of the campaign, Dartmouth Health experienced a remarkable 57% increase in new orthopaedic inquiries. This success not only reflected the impact of aligning with a high-profile individual like Hannah Kearney, but also underscored the effectiveness of a well-crafted campaign strategy in reaching and resonating with the target audience, ultimately achieving substantial positive results.