In 2004 the Institute of Medicine and Rehabilitation contacted Multichoice Marketing. The Institute of Medicine and Rehabilitation is one of the most well known medical centers in Georgia.   The Institute’s reputation is based upon superior qualifications and the vast experience of its employees.  The Institute’s diagnostic and medical equipment are comparable to those of any specialty hospital.

At first sight it could seem that this kind of institution doesn’t need to be advertised.

The issue was that Clinic of Pain within the Institute was oriented primarily toward senior Russian-American citizens.  It was for them that the Clinic’s treatment and rehabilitation programs had been developed.  It was they who were given the medical care that finally resolved their chronic long term back problems.  Needless to say, it was the elderly people’s trust that should have been gained first.

We faced the challenge of producing, coordinating and executing a complicated set of marketing and advertising events aimed at gaining the confidence of people with natural skepticism.           

What made the task even more complicated is that we were dealing with elderly people for whom simply flying to Atlanta and back was a challenge.  Furthermore, in every city there are local doctors and medical centers that carry out similar treatment.  So, of course the real question is, “why fly to Atlanta?”

We had to provide the answer to that question.  This was our process:

Task:

• To represent Institute of Medicine and Rehabilitation as one of the top centers in the country specializing in back pain treatment
• To inspire people’s trust to the center and as consequence to awaken their interest in getting back pain treatment there

 Target Audience: senior Russian-American citizens suffering from back pain

What we have done:

• Preparation and placement of ads in the Russian newspapers and magazines published all over the country.
• Preparation and publishing series of articles and interviews about the Institute of Medicine and Rehabilitation in some Russian newspapers and magazines.
• Carrying out control tests of the first patients in the form of interviews.
• Placing these interviews in report form, enhanced with photographs, in Russian newspapers and magazines.
• Development of the concept  video presentation about the Institute of  Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Clinic of Pain
• Subsequent production of the presentation video about Institute of Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Clinic of Pain
• Mailing of DVDs of the video to the Russian community centers all over the country
• Broadcasting the video on the Russian channels
• Development of the commercial’s concept and production of the actual commercial
• Placement of commercial on the Russian channels
• Taping the report about the Institute of Medicine and Rehabilitation and Clinic of Pain
• Placement of the report on the Russian-American TV channels
• Development and production of a brochure about treatment program
• Mass mailing of these brochures to Russian community centers all over the country
• A 30-second radio commercial production
• Placement of the commercial on the Russian-American radio stations
• Institute’s website (www.atlantaimr.com) marketing promotion through various internet search engines

Buzz-marketing

Having undergone course of treatment the patients tell their friends and relatives about high level of service, and, above all, about the real benefits of this treatment and rehabilitation.

What we consider a great achievement is the fact that before the advertising campaign started we promoted the medical center, and now those who have been treated there promote it.

Advertising results

The purpose of the advertising campaign, which we carried out for Institute of Medicine and Rehabilitation and Clinic of Pain, has been a major success.  Today the majority of the Russian-American senior citizens know about this medical center. Furthermore, the Center’s appointment schedule is booked up months ahead and 16 to 20 patients visit the center each and every week. The Institute of Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Clinic of Pain is now one of the leading medical institutions in the entire country.