It’s been written about ad nauseam, but healthcare marketing today has never resembled consumer marketing more. Patients are consumers, as icky as that sounds to say. And through this consumer-focused approach, branding is no longer just a marketing tool—it’s a way to connect with patients on a personal, emotional level, fostering brand loyalty.
With consumers (i.e., patients) demanding more empathy, transparency, and convenience, healthcare organizations are increasingly turning to consumer-driven branding to meet these expectations. This approach not only strengthens patient engagement but also aligns a brand’s identity with its core culture, creating a consistent, authentic experience for everyone who interacts with it.
For healthcare strategists looking to stay ahead of the curve, events like SHSMD Connections 2024 offer a great opportunity to explore how branding can be better aligned with the evolving values of today’s healthcare consumers.
Let’s dive into how a consumer-driven brand can capture your culture and resonate deeply with your audience.
What Does It Mean to Be Consumer-Driven?
At its heart, a consumer-driven brand is one that reflects the values and needs of its audience. In healthcare, that means prioritizing empathy, transparency, and convenience—three values that resonate deeply with patients. When a healthcare brand is aligned with these values, it creates an experience that feels both personal and authentic for patients.
The concept of a patient-first brand is crucial here. This means understanding and addressing both the emotional and practical needs of patients. For example, healthcare providers who emphasize transparent communication build trust with their patients by providing clear, understandable information, while one that offers convenient options like telemedicine or easy appointment scheduling improves patient experience by removing barriers to care. Exceptional customer service further enhances the patient experience and contributes to building customer loyalty. These are obviously operational values, but this philosophy that now carries over into a marketing perspective, as well.
Why Consumer-Driven Branding Is Essential Right Now
Although they could probably never articulate this thought, today’s consumers want more than just services and care—they want healthcare brands that share their values and see the world from their point of view. As a result, reflecting the unique culture of your organization can give you a competitive edge in decision making. Developing a solid brand culture strategy ensures that your brand’s internal culture is aligned with its external messaging, fostering trust and loyalty among consumers. Brands that are aligned with their internal culture and community values are better positioned to connect with diverse and underserved populations, thus making them more relatable and empathetic to would-be patients.
Moreover, patients want to feel that the healthcare brands they interact with are genuine and trustworthy. When a brand reflects a healthcare organization’s mission and values, it fosters deeper connections with consumers. Transparency and integrity are critical components of this trust, and healthcare brands should ensure their messaging is consistent across all platforms—whether it’s a website, social media, or patient portals. This consistency contributes to a strong brand identity and reinforces the brand image in the minds of consumers.
Challenges of Establishing a Consumer-Driven Brand
That said, crafting a consumer-driven brand in healthcare isn’t without its challenges. One of the biggest hurdles is finding the balance between consumer demands and staying true to the organization’s internal culture. It’s also essential to differentiate your brand from competitors while maintaining consistency in your messaging—something that’s easier said than done, especially in a crowded market. This requires careful brand identity development, ensuring your brand stands out while remaining authentic to its core values. Understanding your target customer and their preferences is key to successful brand positioning within the broader target market.
For small or rural hospitals, limited resources can make this even more challenging. However, focusing on community-oriented branding and personalized care can help smaller healthcare organizations maintain patient trust and differentiate themselves from larger competitors, ultimately contributing to a successful brand.
Featured Case Study: Panorama Orthopedics & Spine
A great example of consumer-driven branding is the “Team YOU” campaign that we created for Panorama Orthopedics & Spine. This campaign centered on making patients the heroes of their healthcare journey, while positioning Panorama on their “team.” It’s like taking “main character energy” into an ad campaign about orthopedics.
By featuring real patient stories and authentic experiences, COHN crafted a message that resonated with Panorama’s audience.
This multi-channel campaign used TV ads, social media, display ads, and SEM to amplify the message of trust, care, and convenience. The results? Over 24 million impressions, 10,000 new phone calls, and a significant increase in site traffic and appointment scheduling—all driven by a culture-driven branding strategy.
Read more and see our incredible creative campaign at our case study page.
Strategies to Develop a Consumer-Driven Brand
As we saw in the Panorama work, building a consumer-driven brand starts with understanding your audience. Conducting consumer research to learn what resonates with your patients is a crucial first step. For example, we learned via patient research (surveys and in-depth interviews) that patients just wanted someone who they could trust to always be looking out for them. Hence, “Team YOU.”
Telling your brand story is another powerful way to connect with consumers. Sharing real patient stories and experiences creates an emotional connection that builds trust and loyalty. For smaller or rural healthcare organizations, focusing on community engagement and personalized care helps ensure that the brand reflects both consumer needs and the organization’s values.
Let’s Get to Work!
For healthcare organizations looking to create a brand that resonates with consumers while staying true to their culture, partnering with a marketing agency like COHN can be a game-changer.
With deep expertise in healthcare branding, COHN can help healthcare organizations authentically connect with their audience, build trust, and align their brand with patient needs.
