NEW YORK, Dec. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- After gaining national recognition for Abington Memorial Hospital with an award-winning television advertising campaign last year, DeVito/Verdi has been handed the entire marketing assignment for the Philadelphia hospital, it was announced today by Mary Thomson, vice president of marketing and communications at Abington.
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In expanding its relationship with Abington, the New York advertising agency will now be charged with creating multi-media marketing programs, including radio, television and print advertising, as well as out-of-home and non-traditional media.
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Last year, DeVito/Verdi created a series of powerful television spots that featured emotional stories that ended with a wry twist. The local campaign, entitled "The Power To Heal," was selected as the Gold medal recipient at the 2008 HealthLeaders Media's Marketing Awards Ceremony this past October for the "Best Service Line, Large Hospital" category. It also won four ADDY Awards, which are given for creative excellence by the American Advertising Federation.
"The success of our most recent television campaign made it clear that we need to grow this relationship and utilize the agency's capabilities and creativity beyond television advertising," said Ms. Thomson.
Prior to debuting the campaign last year, Abington had identified a need to raise its awareness and communicate better to the community its level of excellence and leadership in a number of areas. As the suburban goliath in the highly competitive Philadelphia region, Abington was challenged with a noisy and cluttered market filled with advertising from academic medical centers and others. Immediately after the television spots launched, the hospital began noticing an uptick in perception and awareness.
"We had a great trial period last year and I think we're all excited with the results. It's only natural to take on greater responsibility given the success we had," said Ellis Verdi, president of DeVito/Verdi. "Being able to broadcast and communicate Abington's successes and service lines is vital to its continued growth. We feel they have a terrific story to tell and we're honored to be the one who has been given the task of telling it."
The agency's award-winning television campaign last year focused on a different specialty within the hospital for each commercial. In each, a friend or partner of a patient is heard recounting the recent experience at Abington. What made the spots unique was the emotional set up of each commercial and the humorous twist it takes.
"We're very proud of this campaign. It's very powerful, impactful and emotional, and I think it changed a lot of viewers' perception of this great and dynamic hospital in the Philadelphia suburbs," said Verdi.
About DeVito/Verdi
DeVito/Verdi, a privately held company, has been recognized as one of the most exceptional creative agencies in the industry. Its lengthy list of industry awards includes the top prizes at the Clios, Radio Mercury, Cannes, Andy, ADDY and One Show award ceremonies.
DeVito/Verdi, which has been voted "Best Agency" six times over the last 12 years by the AAAA, has created some of the most memorable ad campaigns of the past 15 years. DeVito/Verdi strives for excellence and maintains a unique level of prestige within the advertising industry, as evidenced by its work for such clients as Meijer, The National Association of Broadcasters, Sony, Canon, BMW, Circuit City, Daffy's, Esquire Magazine, TimeOut Magazine, Grey Goose Vodka, SteinMart, Reebok, Massachusetts General Hospital, Hotwire.com, Office Depot, Legal Sea Foods, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Pepsi/SOBE, Corazon Tequila, Empire Kosher Chicken, Acura, CarMax, Sports Authority and others. For more information on DeVito/Verdi, visit www.devitoverdi.com.
About Abington Memorial Hospital
Abington Memorial Hospital is an independent 570-bed, non-profit, acute care teaching hospital with a medical staff of more than 900 physicians and 5,500 employees. These professionals provide medical care and health services to residents of Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. A regional provider, Abington Memorial Hospital has the only Level II accredited trauma center in Montgomery County and offers highly specialized services in cardiac care, cancer care, neurosurgery, orthopedics and maternal child health. For more information about Abington Memorial Hospital, visit www.amh.org.
SOURCE DeVito/Verdi
