Health Marketing + Communication

Health communication
and
Health marketing
© Mark IV Medical Communications LLC.

• Communication is commonly defined as "the
imparting or interchange of thought, opinion,
or information by speech, writing, or signs..”
to reach a common understanding of the topic.
OR
• "a process by which information is exchanged
between individuals through a common system
of symbols, signs, or behavior.”
• Health communication is a key strategy to
inform the public about health concerns
and to maintain important health issues on
the public agenda. ...
• The study and use of communication

strategies to inform and influence
individual and community decisions that
enhance health.
Communication by presenting information through Visual form.
Uses text, Images, Graphs, Video, Animations.
Quintilian, A.D. 35-95
“ One should not aim at being
possible to understand, but at
being impossible to
misunderstand ”
Health marketing is defined as
creating, communication and delivering
health information and interventions
using customer-centered and science
based strategies to protect and
promote the health of diverse
populations.
• Set your Goals
• Define your Target Audience
• Choose your Media
• Design an effective message
• Pretest your product
• Implement effectively
• Feedback and Improve
Goal setting
• Supportive of the health program’s goals
• Realistic and reasonable
• measurable
• Prioritized, to direct the allocation of
resources
• Specific to the change desired and the
population to be affected
Define Target audience
• Segmentation
• Study their behavior
• Determine best media mix to reach them
• Determine the channels to reach them
Interpersonal,
Community based,
Mass media channels
S.no. Media Advantages Disadvantages
Helps reinforce verbal Many are lost / discarded,

1 Booklets/ Leaflets message, may raise expensive to produce and
awareness distribute large quantities
Message maybe too short

Good for visual and very
2 Posters for effective impact, may
short messages
not last long
Popular, can reach large

Expensive, requires expert
3 Film/ Video audiences and initiate
assistance for creating
discussions
Traditional dramas/ Family media, usually Live performances may not

4
songs entertaining be cost effective

Design Message effectively
• Select key messages to be delivered.
• Focus on Barriers to behavior change.
• Determine literacy level of segment.
• Develop a Communication Strategy

Statement (Creative Brief).
Principles for effective
public health communication
• Know Your Audience.
• Focus on the Right Objective.
• Determine What Information Is of

Greatest Value.
• Convey Simple, Clear Messages, Many

Times, through Many Sources.
Positive emotional appeals
show the benefits intended audience members will gain when they take the action
portrayed in the message. The messages that present a major benefit but
do not address any drawbacks tend to be most appropriate when
intended audience members are already in favor of an idea or practice.
Humorous appeals
Generally work for simple messages, especially if most competing
communication is not humorous. The humor should be appropriate for
the health issue and convey the main message.
Threat (or fear) appeals

Include:• A compelling threat of physical or social harm • Evidence that
the intended audience is personally vulnerable to the threat • Solutions
that are both easy to perform (i.e., intended audience members believe
they have the ability to take the action) and effective (i.e., taking the
action will eliminate the threat)
Language structure
:
• Use common, everyday words
• Use "you" and other personal pronouns
• Avoid using undefined technical terms
• Use positive (rather than negative) words
• Avoid long strings of nouns
• Use active voice
• Use action verbs
• Use the present tense
• Be direct
• Avoid using unnecessary exceptions
• Use Serif fonts (with legs) for paragraphs and text
blocks and sans serif fonts (without legs) for
Headings/Subheadings.
• Use minimum 12 font size.
• Keep bulleted items no longer than 5 to 7 items
• Use an average of 15- 25 words per sentence
• Use graphics and design to make the reader’s job

easier and to increase comprehension and recall
• Training materials
• Posters
• Flip charts
• Games
• Pamphlets
• Comics
• Brochures
• Animation movies
Social health marketing as Corporate Social Responsibility
Films watched Cable subscriptions
Books published Books borrowed
A presentation of statistical data in geographical distribution on a map

Personal computers Internet Users 2002
Weekly newspapers Televisions in Use

Written by-
Dr. Neelesh Bhandari
M.D (Path), PGP Human Rights

Advisor (Medical Communications)
Mark IV Medical Communications.
http://tinyurl.com/drneelesh

Pfizer Clear Health communication Initiative
Pink Book - Making Health Communication

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Health communication

© Mark IV Medical Communications LLC.

• The study and use of communication

Helps reinforce verbal Many are lost / discarded,

Message maybe too short

Popular, can reach large

Traditional dramas/ Family media, usually Live performances may not

© Mark IV Medical Communications LLC.

• Focus on Barriers to behavior change.

• Determine literacy level of segment.

• Develop a Communication Strategy

• Know Your Audience.

• Focus on the Right Objective.

• Determine What Information Is of

• Convey Simple, Clear Messages, Many

Threat (or fear) appeals

• Use minimum 12 font size.

• Keep bulleted items no longer than 5 to 7 items

• Use an average of 15- 25 words per sentence

• Use graphics and design to make the reader’s job

Books published Books borrowed

A presentation of statistical data in geographical distribution on a map

Weekly newspapers Televisions in Use

M.D (Path), PGP Human Rights

© Mark IV Medical Communications LLC.

Pink Book - Making Health Communication

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