ESPN: Transparent Healthcare Marketing to Men

One of my favorite transparent marketing examples from Don't Think Pink, which I use pretty often in my presentations (especially when my audience is fairly male-dominated) is that of ESPN: The Magazine.  That brand (in all its forms) does a great job of nailing its roughly 18 - 34 year old male demographic - NOT through assumptions about men, like using primary blue as its key color or including columns like "his turn", but by really understanding the copy style and humor, the photo style, the types of content and the interests/passions of its hardcore sports fan readership.  Many, many of ESPN :The Magazine's readers are men, but - because they approach their market transparently, it doesn't come off as so "manly" that female sports fans don't join in that conversation too.  I've written about this before.

Today Stuart Elliott's New York Times "Campaign Spotlight" column (as written by Jane L. Levere this week) profiles the new ESPN/Weiden & Kennedy public service spots - all around spreading the wise news of how important it is for men to get regular health screenings.  The campaign is  part of a continuing effort by the Ad Council and the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality to raise awareness and inspire more adults to take better care of themselves (hear, hear).  What I love about it is that W&K uses the tried and true, and best, way to reach this market - humor and the loud ranting of much-beloved sportscasters. 

There is no finger pointing or "woe is you, you likely have colon cancer."  Not here.  Rather, the ads use a sort of aspirational/common ground combo approach, as in: "you think Alonzo Mourning is a superstar, right... well, even he had kidney disease."  Here's a clip from Levere's piece:

Print and digital ads both feature an anatomical diagram of a man’s body, with arrows pointing to parts like the kidney, marked “Alonzo Mourning kidney disease,” and the thyroid, marked “Mario Lemieux Hodgkin’s disease.”

The print ad also says: “All sports fans follow their favorite player’s health. However, not all fans pay enough attention to their own.”

And it, like all other ads in the campaign, directs men to the Web site,  www.AHRQ.gov/realmen, “for a complete list of the tests you need, and when you need them.”

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The pace and loudness of the spots definitely make you look (what - is there a breaking sports story?) and then, I bet, a lot of people who stop and watch the ads will think a) that's some savvy ad work, and b) hmmm.. when WAS the last time I saw a doctor (or, as many of us realize - the female significant other may do the final nudge to get her guy to make an appointment).

This is an example of cause marketing that is sorely needed (for whatever reason men don't more regularly go to the doctor, it's got to change) - especially as we face rising, rising, rising overall healthcare costs.  The earlier disease or issues are discovered, the better for everyone contributing to that insurance pool.

Now, I may be more passionate about this sort of effort than the next guy because I grew up with a physician in the house, which meant that going to the doctor was as natural as brushing my teeth.  Still, I think most of us have known friends or family who ended up suffering because they didn't take preventive healthcare seriously. 

It is hard to deny that getting more people, men and women, to visit the doctor earlier on and more often would be a great, great play.  I hope this campaign hits it out of the park.