Adworks boosts hospital’s profile with provocative campaign

The interactive campaign should highlight VHC’s focus on educating potential patients about their options when it comes to serious medical issues.

» Agency: Adworks Inc. in Washington

» Theme: The campaign centers around topic-specific medical issues through the use of provocative advertisements. For example, the first ad, which launched in September, focuses on abdominal hysterectomies.

The online ad shows a hand with a market drawing a dotted line on a stomach and the question “If you’re planning on having an abdominal hysterectomy, you probably don’t need to,” flashes on the screen.

» The concept: The advertisements are designed as a hook to lead potential patients to Virginia Hospital Center’s Adworks-designed Web site.

Each topic has its own Web site that provides specific information, such as statistics, hospital facts versus myths and a glossary of medical terms. While the ads feature blunt statements, the Web sites present the information in a less jarring fashion. Videos on each Web site feature Virginia Hospital doctors talking about the medical issue in a way that is intended to remind viewers more of having coffee with a friend than listening to a doctor speaking in sterile, medical jargon.

» The plan: The campaign launched last month with banner ads on Web sites such as Weather.com, WebMD.com, Yahoo.com and AOL.com. Those Web sites were chosen because Adworks considers them “go-to” Web sites for information seekers.

The campaign kicked off with the hysterectomy ad, but more topic-specific ads, including one on asthma and one on obstetrics, are in the works. The advertisements are part of an ongoing campaign for Virginia Hospital by Adworks.

The agency was originally hired three years ago to help rebrand the hospital when it changed its name from Arlington Hospital to Virginia Hospital Center and boost its reputation after it invested $150 million to build a new facility.

» Creative team: Mark Greenspun, creativedirector; Lisa Biskin, copywriter; Bill Cutter, art director; Paul Horenkamp, account supervisor.

» Background: Founded in 1979 by Mark Greenspun, Adworks is one of the largest independent agencies in the Washington region.

The senior management team comes from a variety of backgrounds, including high-tech, journalism, retail and traditional advertising agencies.

Greenspun said his agency’s strength is that they don’t create campaigns in a vacuum. Instead, the creative team immerses itself in each client’s corporate culture before coming up with ideas.

» Working on next: Recently launched campaigns for Halifax Medical Center in Florida and Moore Cadillac. Currently launching a campaign for National Geographic Museum.