The UR Medical Center (URMC) released its new clinical brand identity this past Sunday during a series of locally-broadcasted Super Bowl commercials.
UR Medicine refers to the direct patient care network that includes the many organizations and individuals within it.
The network includes the Strong Memorial Hospital Highland Hospital, Thompson Health, The Highlands at Brighton and The Highlands Living Center, Eastman Dental, and the UR Medical Faculty Group.
Chief Executive Director of the marketing team at URMC Karl Withers explained the change of name.
“Our network has grown, and that has led to some confusion,” Rogge said. “Patients tell us that they think of URMC as a ‘place’ rather than a network delivering care in dozens of locations throughout the region.”
Rogge noted that people viewed URMC as a location and not as a source of medical services. The marketing team felt that a fresh look was needed on the image.
“UR Medicine refers to the caliber of care [that] patients can expect […] while not limiting us to a single location,” Rogge said.
Rogge emphasized that the people featured in the commercial were not actors, but patients and providers of “UR Medicine.”
“The creative strategy is to empathize with the real human issues, both the struggle and the triumph, that are contained in the true patient stories that we receive here,” Rogge said.
The advertisement used a local production company and ad agency, as well as actual patients treated through this system.
The advertisement consists of different taglines with statements that allude to the patients in the audience, such as “You are overcoming heart disease” and “You are fighting back after cancer.”
The “You Are” concept came from Creative Director Jim Lahue. The goal was to reach out to the audience while providing a mnemonic device that sticks to them.
Kanakam is a member of the class of 2017.