Launching a Brand Refresh Campaign that Connects with Consumers

As the health care landscape becomes increasingly challenging, it’s more important than ever for health care systems to have a strong identity in the marketplace—and to stand behind that identity consistently.

Getting consumers’ attention today is hard. It’s even harder to get them to trust you. A recent study found that 71 percent of consumers aged 25–44 “don’t always trust their healthcare provider to make the right decisions for them." And consumer expectations are changing. Location is not the driver of preference anymore—it’s about clarity and connectedness. Consumers want options. With virtual care and independent facility options, along with a move toward self-care, they have more choice than ever before.

And many major systems are reading the room. They’re simplifying their market position and clarifying their offerings to consumers, while disruptors and big players are entering the market with easy-to-understand brands and offerings.

BJC HealthCare is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. With 12 hospitals and hundreds of other facilities across the St. Louis metro area, it’s fair to say the system's presence is widely felt. However, our research showed that while our consumers had an allegiance to their preferred hospital or facility, they were not aware of how expansive our system was or the benefits of seeking care there.

A brand refresh was in order. And for most of 2022, we focused on researching, developing, and testing our new approach.

This brand refresh was not simply about different colors or logos in our ads, applying one logo systemwide, or making a new billboard. Brand has far-reaching implications for everything we do. It’s not only about how we look, but how we show up—with priorities and values front and center.

It’s the experience people have during every interaction, from scheduling an appointment online to getting treated at one of our facilities. It’s how connected people feel with our caregivers. It means telling compelling stories that show who we are and what we stand for, so consumers ultimately make the choice to trust us with their care.

And it’s our job to make it simple, meaningful, and memorable.

BJC HealthCare launched the results of those efforts on February 12. The “You Deserve Extraordinary Care” campaign is a promise to our consumers. It reflects how we commit to showing up and what consumers can expect from us.

It means that:

• Every person who comes to a BJC facility for care is the most important person.

• Health care is a right, not a privilege, and we believe all people deserve it. We operate under a steadfast commitment to health equity for everyone. ​

• Our team is held to the highest standards. Through our partnership with the Washington University School of Medicine, we strive to ​bring unparalleled medical excellence and unmatched care to every person who seeks care through one of our facilities.

Once we had this defined, we then had to do the real work—bring it to life in a way that was all about our consumers and not about BJC. We chose to focus on short, simple TV spots that are all about the moments in people’s lives—the sick child, the patient anxious in the middle of the night, the call with good health news. The moments that matter, the extraordinary care that everyone deserves.

As we approach our 30th anniversary, there’s no better time to share the message of BJC’s commitment—one that’s only grown stronger as our system has evolved. Launching this campaign was only the start. Now, we focus on defining and implementing our experience so that every person who comes to BJC feels the extraordinary experience we strive to provide.