NHS Tees - A social marketing project that combines awareness building with long-term engagement activity to make a positive impact and lowering the risk of cardio-vascular disease in key target groups.

The Approach

Using a combination of target audience data and our own desk based research we developed a segmentation model that divided the audience
by age and gender into four groups.

Communications materials were then developed to appeal to each of these groups, recognising their status as targets and also as potential influencers.

We recognised, for instance that women aged 55 to 74 targeted as prospective recipients of the assessment were also an important route to influencing harder to reach 55 to 74 year old men, i.e. their husbands.

A programme of direct mail was developed to invite patients with a CVD risk greater than 20% to attend an assessment. Each pack included personalised, targeted information leaflets, based on a cast of characters, explaining the process and using different messages aligned to key triggers for each group. A clear call to action invited recipients to contact their surgery for an appointment with the practice nurse.

Seven pharmacies in key locations carried additional marketing materials
to widen access to those residents who were not invited to an assessment
via their GP, or where no relationship with a GP existed.

Door drops, press activity and events were also commissioned to raise awareness of the Healthy Heart Check and its associated benefits, and a website was built for clinicians and members of the public enabling users
to find and access locally based services easily.

The Results

The project was a huge success, with more than 30,000 assessments
in the first year – 14% of the target market.

Direct marketing materials were supplied to each GP surgery with
a wallchart advising staff what to put in each pack based on age/gender,
and we received numerous requests for additional packs due to demand.