Hospital Taps Big Agency to Improve its Image
The Birmingham News
Michael Tomberlin, News staff writer
The Birmingham advertising and public relations firm is launching ads this week casting Cooper Green Hospital in a way that overcomes its “not-so-positive image,” Big chief John Montgomery said. The public awareness campaign aims to elevate Cooper Green beyond its tag as the county’s “poor” hospital.
“Cooper Green has always been around and has always been there for those who need it, but people don’t know that much about it,” he said. “They offer so many fantastic programs, from an amazing pharmaceutical program to neighborhood clinics to a professional building and a lot of bilingual volunteers and staff.”
Montgomery admits it was a learning experience for Big as the company studied Cooper Green to create the campaign – believed to be the first such promotion the hospital has ever done.
“We learned a lot about the place and it’s fantastic,” he said. “Cooper Green is not just there for people who can’t afford to go to the hospital, it’s also there for everybody else. People need to realize it’s a great facility, and we’re just happy to be involved.”
Faces of Cooper Green:
Instead of emphasizing the facility, which is undergoing its own makeover, Big decided to focus on the doctors and staff at Cooper Green. A casting call netted a multicultural array of doctors, nurses and staff and even a father-son doctor team.
“What we wanted to do with our campaign was showcase the great staff that works there,” Montgomery said. “We wanted Birmingham to meet the faces of Cooper Green, which are the very talented and loving people that work there every day and have for years.”
Cooper Green spokesman Marc Sussman said the hospital wanted to raise awareness of the county’s hospital.
“It’s an educational campaign in terms of communicating that we do serve all of the residents of Jefferson County regardless of ability to pay,” Sussman said. “We want them to understand that they don’t need to wait until they are very sick, regardless of whether they have insurance or not.”
New slogan:
Sussman said the hospital felt it was important to have an educational campaign because Cooper Green is often overlooked in the shadow of the larger hospital groups in the area.
“We feel it is very important for the residents of Jefferson County to know that we are here, that we are an important component to their health care and we are accessible to them,” he said.
The campaign – with the slogan “Cooper Green: Turn to us for life” – will include television spots and billboards initially, followed by radio and newspaper ads. It is being financed by Jefferson Health Systems, which runs the hospital.
One of the first spots highlights prenatal care and baby delivery services, a big part of Cooper Green’s business and a draw for the growing Hispanic patient population that visits the hospital.
“A lot of Hispanic families are turning to Cooper Green for their health care,” Montgomery said.
Leo Ticheli Productions produced the ads.
Big campaigns:
The Cooper Green ads hit the airwaves as spots from Big’s other major campaign this year are still in heavy rotation.
The Regional Planning Commission and the Alabama Partners for Clean Air hired Big to revamp its clean air, ozone reduction campaign, which previously featured the boisterous Coach Clean Air.
Big went a different direction, using old black-and-white footage to humorously drive home the need to cut down on driving, mowing and other activities on ozone alert days.
“I think those spots are some of our best work to date,” Montgomery said.
Big has recently picked up a number of community-oriented projects. In addition to the Alabama Partners for Clean Air and Cooper Green Hospital, Big was tapped to be the agency of record by McWane Center earlier this year.
“One of the things I’m most proud of is we’ve been here 10 years and we’ve had most of our clients that long,” Montgomery said. “These new campaigns, I think, speak to our involvement in the community over the years.”
For more information, please contact Robin Oliver, Director of Public Relations, at 205-322-5646, ext.103 or email her at robin@bigcom.com
