Out of home healthcare networks exploding
As new technologies give users greater control over their content experiences—and as users employ new ways to fast forward or ignore traditional messaging—advertisers are looking for more opportunities to connect with their customers during their active lives.
Consumers are no longer tied down to their couch watching TV, or to their desks working on their PCs: Out of home (OOH) marketing reaches customers beyond these spheres, out in the world. OOH increased to $8.6 billion for the US in 2007– $2.2 billion of this is in “alternative” OOH media (i.e. video ad networks), according to TNS Media Intelligence. PQ media predicts that such alternative out-of-home spend will represent as much as half of all OOH by 2012.
Video ad networks have many comparable benefits to traditional media. As IPG’s OOH media resource Outdoor Services notes, some of these include: “Rich visuals and impact of TV or cable; high traffic visibility; interactivity and flexibility of the Internet; and the contextual relevance of print.” However, OOH video networks have the potential to create relevant messaging to consumers at the key point of influence. This is particularly meaningful for the healthcare industry: While there is some conflict over pharmaceutical advertising in these settings and advertisers will have to be mindful of what is being messaged where, digital out of home healthcare opportunities are skyrocketing. Three locations specific to healthcare provide highly contextual opportunities to reach consumers:
Physician’s offices:
Healthy Advice Networks offers five different formats reaching 11,725 primary care and specialists’ waiting rooms: Primary Care Network, Women’s Health Network, CardioCare Network, Skin Care Network, and Arthritis Care Network.
ContextMedia’s Diabetes Health Network currently has 900 locations and plans 1,800 screens by 2009. Diabetic-specific video programming features content from groups such as the American Dietetic Association to educate patients living with the disease.
InnerCityMedicine Networks Television (ICMN-TV) is launching the Urban Digital Signage Medical Television Network focused on health issues concerning African Americans, Hispanics, and other at-risk socioeconomic segments. The ad-supported network will deliver to community healthcare clinics and medical facilities that serve this population.
Hospitals:
NBC Digital Health Network produces The Patient Channel, which provides television programming in patient rooms and waiting areas in over 1,600 hospitals across the country. The Patient Channel helps hospitals to meet regulatory requirements for patient education and supplements the care management activities of the hospital. The Newborn Channel in partnership with ivillage produces baby care and postpartum programming in Compliance with AAP/ACOG guidelines for prenatal care for new parents in over 1,000 hospitals nationwide.
Healthcare News Networks offers original programming and interactive segments such as Celebrities Who Care, Fact or Fiction and Clinical Pearls which are offered exclusively in hospitals.
Get Well Network’s pediatric hospital community provides condition-specific pediatric video education content specifically designed for parents, kids and teens.
Pharmacies:
Premier Retail Network’s in-store TV network WAL-MART
Channel Red in-store TV network TARGET
Pharmacy Channel is a digital point of sales media network for independent pharmacies in the UK and US.
Lifeclinic International with CBS Outernet produces interactive health programming and advertising on automated vital signs monitoring equipment. Digitally connected “health stations” provide customers with routine tests (such as blood pressure, cholesterol, pulse and weight measurements), educational content and online disease management programs.
As healthcare networks thrive and grow, enabling more locations with increased reach, and as aggregators like SeeSaw (Google is also rumored to be getting in the game) become available, national out-of-home healthcare media buys will become a more viable option and easier to manage. Keep in mind these influential venues when developing informative video strategy and planning your ad buys.
Contact Sonya Rosas to discuss how to develop and implement a Digital Out of Home strategy.
August 13th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Great spotlight Sonya,
This is a segment of DOOH which is exploding, to be sure. From some of the larger network’s you’ve identified to the small 200-300 location networks inherent in many major cities, every major city in North America has some from of Digital OOH medical network.
What’s even more interesting is they get so specific in their media opportunities. I know of niche networks from Chiropractic to pediatrics to dental to cosmetic surgery. It makes for interesting and diverse opportunities and media strategies for Brands and their agencies. An OTC like an Advil may want to advertise Headache remedies in general health centers but get more specific and advertise back pain relief in Chiropractic.
They also serve as great opportunities beyond the POP (Point of purchase) and POI (point of influence), however. Digital OOH works very well to support a brand/campaign objective on the PATH to purchase (P2P) as well (recency theory extended?)….name a brand that has some ties to either a health and wellness mindset or suits the relevant audience makeup of Medical/Dr space and it may serve as a good supporting media opportunity inside of a media plan/mix
Keep up the good work!
Rob
August 14th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Hi Rob, Thank you for your expanded thoughts on DOOH healthcare opportunities. We keep up with your site regularly and love the work you are doing.
At the Lab we are trying to encourage agencies and brands to recognize the potential market space and get their feet wet in the DOOH space…The outlook is bright for them there.