Connect

Hope. It’s a simple, four-letter word. But in healthcare, it takes on a multitude of meanings: Hope for an answer. Hope for a return to good health and all the things that come with it. Hope for a breakthrough that will change lives.  

With the theme “Driven to Bring Hope to Life,” hope is quite literally at the center of a new UVA Health advertising campaign that will launch April 29 and reach audiences across the Commonwealth of Virginia, including northern Virginia, Richmond, and Lynchburg. (Pictured above: Print ad featuring Kirsten Greene, MD, Chair, Department of Urology, and voiceover talent for the campaign.)

Why a statewide campaign now?  

As with effective clinical care, research underpins the work of the UVA Health Marketing and Brand Management team. Recent consumer studies conducted in key markets highlighted the need for a statewide campaign to increase awareness of UVA Health offerings and bolster our reputation for quality care and breakthroughs in clinical research: 

• Consumers in key markets prefer UVA Health for quality care, but competitors gain preference due to convenience. 
• While awareness of UVA Health’s presence in northern Virginia is increasing, there is opportunity to grow. 
• Many consumers reported they “Don’t know” who they prefer for their healthcare needs or what UVA Health is “Best Known For,” creating an opportunity for UVA Health to grow familiarity, consideration, and favorability. 

“We want Virginians to know that there is no other health system in the state that can provide the breadth and depth of high-quality care that UVA Health can, as conveniently as UVA Health can,” said Lisa Badeau, chief marketing and communications officer. “This campaign will differentiate UVA Health from peer organizations and position us as more accessible, innovative, and inclusive.”  

Hope at the Center 

The campaign theme “Driven to Bring Hope to Life,” is the result of more than 30 interviews with leaders and stakeholders from across the system, in addition to patient groups in Charlottesville and northern Virginia, and insights from referring physicians. Several themes emerged from those conversations and were tested with focus groups of current UVA Health patients and non-patients from different markets.  

“’Driven to Bring Hope to Life,’ is applicable to a wide range of audiences and service offerings, but perhaps most importantly, it’s a genuine reflection of who we are and our shared mission,” said Leanne Walden, associate chief of marketing, brand management, and provider engagement. 

Team Members Tell the Story 

Who better to bring our story and our mission to life on screen, on air, and in print than our own researchers, providers, and nurses? The UVA Health marketing team had their pick of inspiring team members to cast in the ads.  

“We all know that at UVA Health, our greatest asset is our people. Putting a sampling of our extraordinary researchers, providers, and nurses front and center in this campaign is an authentic, meaningful way to connect with patients, and I’m grateful to the dozens who lent their time to this effort. My only regret is that we could not include more,” noted Badeau. 

All told, more than 40 team members were identified to participate in the campaign shoots, ranging from a cardiologist to cancer researchers to NICU nurses. Look for more about these “stars” of the campaign in Connect soon. 

Your Turn 

In May you’ll be invited to share the campaign videos on your social networks and tell the world what drives you to bring hope to life. We’ll share our favorite responses on the UVA Health social channels and participating team members who use the designated hashtag will be entered into drawings for UVA Health-branded Stanley tumblers and jackets. Watch Connect, UVA Health Update, and Inside UVA Community Health for details! 

When and Where Will We See the New Campaign? 

The campaign will run April 29-July 28, 2024. Targeting patients aged 25-54+ and referring providers, it will leverage the following advertising channels, with an emphasis on television:  

• TV/Cable and streaming video 
• Radio and streaming audio 
• Facebook and Instagram 
• Billboards (static and digital) 
• Print newspaper and magazine 

To learn more, visit the campaign landing page at uvahealth.com/driven (to go live on April 29).