State University of New York at Brooklyn
Health Sciences Center
Downstate Medical

What do you do if you are a major academic medical center, yet have little recognition for your outstanding medical and surgical research activities and performance? Compounding the problem is that the center is Brooklyn-based, but is still located within the most expensive media market in the U.S., and it has a very small marketing budget in a highly competitive health-care environment.

Dollars had to be used wisely, but it was determined that advertising was still necessary to get the word out to the communities where the patients resided. It was just as important to build loyalty and a sense of pride with the physicians, nurses and staff, too. A strategic radio campaign was recommended using a local personality as the voice of the institution, while also incorporating limited, but coordinated print promotion. When this campaign was launched, it was tied to a simultaneous community relations program that targeted both the internal and external audiences as well.

The client engaged the full array of communications services from public relations, advertising, and marketing to design, photography, advertising specialty, special events, and direct mail to inform and educate the surrounding area about Downstate’s commitment to improving health and well-being of its communities.