There was nothing small about moving a beloved institution for Western New York’s littlest patients and moms.
Yet that was exactly the mission set forth for Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo ahead of a move to a new location on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, and a new name: John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital. Starting 18 months out from the big day, our strategy, account, media, creative, public relations and social media teams worked regularly with teams from Kaleida Health to plan and execute a phased campaign.
With the move taking place in phases over an entire year, patient education was a paramount objective. In February, we launched our “Nine Months” phase of the campaign that played off the duration of a pregnancy and the impending “birth” of the hospital being just an average pregnancy’s length away. Ahead of the three outpatient move dates to the new Oishei Children’s Outpatient Center, we spread the word with friendly, light-hearted communications, including direct mail pieces, custom magnet schedules, interior and exterior signage, media kits to help the story gain traction in the press and newly-created social media accounts to begin a dialogue with the community. Along the way, we engaged WCHOB administration, staff, former patients and families to deliver good news of ongoing developments, while a custom landing page hosted all the details our community needed.
At two months out from the final move of all inpatient and emergency services, we launched “All Our Labors” campaign creative, highlighting the new hospital as the result of all the labors along the way. Illustrated with playful imagery of children as workers, this phase was a seamless continuation of the vibrant feel used throughout other phases, while highlighting the finishing touches being put on the new state-of-the-art hospital. And finally, from the day after the move onward, our in-market creative celebrated our community’s labor of love coming to life, with children portraying doctors and nurses, and taking care of moms-to-be.