Effective Visual Marketing for Healthcare Companies

By LEVI SHAPIRO
The average human attention span is …. Oh look over there!
The average human attention span is now only eight seconds, down from 12 seconds in 2000. With 84% of human learning being visual, marketing language should be visual first, text second. Daniel Berliner, CEO of Berliner Design, shared four tips for building a bold visual brand.
1. Wear Your Customer’s Hat
When developing visual marketing language, take the customer’s viewpoint.
How does the website appear to your customer? What emotion do your brand colors, shapes, images and messages convey? What is the resulting behavior? Is there an explicit Call to Action? A great starting point is to review all visual materials - both offline and online. That includes social media, brochures, PowerPoint etc.
Be honest with yourself…what is working and what is not? This is often the first step toward better visual branding. Below are some Israeli health tech logos that effectively use color, design and shape to convey a strong brand message.
2. Say it, Say it Again, Then Repeat
An integrated approach to using visuals will strengthen a good written message. A good example is a campaign for Medi-Tate incorporating simple messaging alongside strong brand imagery that is repeated and cleverly targeted throughout the audience journey.
3. Shoot, Don’t talk!
A picture is worth a thousand words. Well-chosen images or carefully designed illustrations eliminate the need for lengthy explanations! Remember that 40% of us respond better to visual information than plain text. If you need to say something technical, make sure to say it clearly, concisely and simply!
This may not always be possible in the healthcare sector. The challenge is to depict complex messages through simple and memorable visuals. A great example is from Lumenis. The sleek product image requires only ten words to complete the description.
4. Be Different, But the Same!
Most Israeli companies struggle to effectively differentiate their brand from competitors, while retaining a visually recognizable brand. Take time to know the visual and graphic language used by the competition to avoid “me too” messaging.
That means to understand their colors, imagery, shapes, typeface, font choice, formatting and page layouts. Identify choices that are working for the competition and recognize the need to differentiate through bold colors. Remember, doctors are not afraid of blood, so why be afraid of the color red!
Below is a print design for medical device company – notice the dramatic product effect achieved through the use ofbold colors to dramatize the product
Effective visual communication in healthcare requires a strong, consistent style that integrates with, and enhances marketing activities across channels. Good visual marketing is about helping the target audience recognize, remember and act! Anyone interested in enhancing their brand's visual marketing strategy, schedule a 1x1 meeting with Daniel Berliner at the mHealth Israel conference, February 18.
 


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