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What’s in a Name?

What’s in a name? Everything! Whether you’re naming a business or a band, a product or a service, a book or a baby, the name you choose makes a lasting impression.

There’s been a recent influx of naming projects here at Fusion Hill, but no matter how trend flux, our proven approach holds true. Recently, we asked a financial services client what brand they personally loved. At first they didn’t see the connection. Why did the fact that they loved Sharpie, Ecco and Volvo matter? Our process helped to reveal how they desired their own brand to be perceived and what their core message was. From there, our creative team was free to ideate.

Naming takes planning, refinement, implementation and most importantly … living it out. When Google first came out it sounded crazy and it didn’t give us much of a clue about what they did – but now it’s one of the most well known brands and one of the most used words (if not verbs). A well-chosen name can mean the difference between MacMan and iMac, ShoeSite and Zappos, Pequod and Starbucks. It can mean the difference between failure and success. So what will you name next?


| Creative

Healthcare from a Millennial Perspective.

Nowadays we swap textbooks for tablets, resumes for Linkedin profiles, a library trip for Google search. The 21st century has birthed a new breed – The Digital Generation, Gen Y, Young Invincibles, Trophy Kids, Generation Me, or as most call them – Millennials. We’ve recently completed a secondary trend study on Millennials as many of our clients are seeking to know more about this group.

Coining phrases like “Google it” or “Facebook me,” Millennials have never known life without computers and are projected to be the first generation to take the digital world for granted. They have a different perception of time, convenience and access, especially when it comes to health care. Rather than heading to the clinic, Millennials hop online to sites such as WebMD and Yelp. They are more likely to use the internet as their first go-to for education instead of a doctor, and are accustomed to quickly verifying facts and finding answers to their questions by themselves. 72% of Millennials have looked online for health information and 47% have used the internet to diagnose a condition. Sites like WebMD and Yelp provide forums for people to connect with others that have had the same condition or experience. They do more online research into treatments and providers than previous generations, and expect information and services to be accessible instantaneously from any and all devices.

In a world where you can earn a college degree online, deposit a paycheck with your smart phone or video chat a friend in Europe on the way to work – being “plugged-in” is not encouraged, it’s expected and the health care community is beginning to realize the way to reach Millennials might not be the Sunday newspaper but instead through online forums, email marketing and social media.

Request a copy of the complete Millennials & Healthcare trend report by emailing info@fusionhill.com


| Research

Fusion Hill Facelift.

Ever heard the saying, “Minnesota has two seasons – winter and construction?” We couldn’t agree more. Now that we’ve hit sunny weather, not only are we experiencing lane closures on our commute, but Fusion Hill is also undergoing a major expansion.

Our office has become chock-full of hard-hats, caution tape and lots of drilling. Yes, we have gotten very used to the smell of tar and yes, we hear hammering in our sleep – and yes, it is totally worth it. Our new space will have two floors of meeting and work spaces, two kitchens, and – drum roll please – a rooftop patio. Yep, you heard it – a patio. Because what good is living in MN if you don’t spend the [ barely ] four beautiful months we get outside enjoying it?

All banging jokes aside, we’re beyond thrilled about the renovation and can’t wait to show it off at our annual summer party. In the meantime, we’ll come to you.


| Culture

Sunny Shots II.

You were behind the scenes with us for our photo shoot with Elite Hearing Network (Elite) and now we’re excited to show you the final shots! Elite offers buying power plus business services for independent hearing care providers throughout the U.S. Using a highly-collaborative approach, Elite helps its members “be in business for themselves, not by themselves.” This key differentiator guided the atmosphere on our photography set – bright, friendly and engaging.

Along with new imagery from the shoot, Elite introduced new brand guidelines and sales literature including sell sheets, brochures, and website banners to help leverage their unique qualities. Check em’ out!


| Creative

A New Concept for Nursing.

Bethel University hosted their Annual Nursing Research and Practice Symposium last evening which included a key note presentation, break-out sessions and interactive poster presentations by masters candidates. Of note, our good friend and fellow marketer, Barb Page, was awarded a blue ribbon for her thesis poster and groundbreaking business concept for the medical field. Performance-based Nursing,™ a client service model for nursing, delivers quality and compassionate care with an excellent client experience.

Our world is one that is driven by consumer preference and as health care follows this trend, consumers will undoubtedly become more engaged in their care. The Performance-based Nursing™ model is the bridge that brings the health care experience in line with what we expect as clients of any of the other services we pay for. The model will improve patient’s satisfaction and loyalty as well as drive operational and cost efficiencies for health care providers. As the front line of our care system, nurses are uniquely positioned to deliver the ideal client experience – a fact Barb knows first hand as a practicing RN herself.


| Creative, Culture

Marketing with Heart III.

You’ve followed us on our journey with the commercial launch of an implantable medical device that manages atrial fibrillation – from the fieldwork with patients and physicians and now to the creative work. We applied our learnings from ethnographies, focus groups and co-creation sessions to create a campaign that communicates the benefits of this medical device to atrial fibrillation patients. Our creative team designed several concepts that leveraged consumers desire for bright colors, bold headlines, compelling facts and engaging imagery – all conveying an overarching theme of optimism, freedom and a better path forward. After testing these concepts with consumers, we compiled the insights to build a creative approach that will resonate with patients and drive interest in the implant. This was a dream project for Fusion Hill and what we were built to do – the perfect intersection of insight and imagination.


| Research

Keynote: “Anthropology and Life”.

Fusion Hill research strategists, Kathryn Sutton and Danielle Bender, had the pleasure of giving the keynote address at the University of Minnesota Anthropology Department’s undergraduate conference. The presentation focused on how Fusion Hill uses anthropological methods when it fields research for its corporate clients. Case studies included recent ethnographies on men’s fragrance in Brazil and pediatric diabetes in the U.S. These topics sparked interesting conversation about the benefits of adapting anthropological tools to gain insights to help drive a company’s business, innovation, and marketing strategies. Dialogues such as these continue to move the field forward and we’re grateful to the University of Minnesota for the invitation to speak.


| Culture, Research

See the Whole Picture.

One of the most powerful health services companies – known for their trailblazer approach to health care – came to us to help reintroduce their transformed data management product. The company spent 2012 investing in extensive upgrades and new features for the tool and wanted to spread the word. We knew we had to come up with something bold and compelling if we were going to get consultants to take a second look at the product and its new upgrades.

So we developed a direct mail campaign that featured a personalized dimensional package with macro and micro imagery and housed an impressive gift – a desktop magnifying glass from the Museum of Modern Art. The magnifying glass visual combined with clear messaging and a strong call for action proved to make a great first (second, sort of) impression. Deployed over a two-week period, the campaign had an 80% reach rate and 65% of those reached accepted a meeting and demo. If people didn’t know about the improved product before, they sure do now.


| Creative

Moment of Truth.

Last month, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies enlisted Fusion Hill to conduct research with physicians and consumers to understand the journey in treating Fibromyalgia (FM), a syndrome in which a person has chronic pain and tenderness throughout the body, and Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN), nerve damage caused by diabetes and high blood sugar.

Treating FM and DPN patients has proved to be complex and tiring – patients depressed about their health status, doctors skeptical about judging pain level, and of course the kicker – there is no cure. Medication for FM and DPN does not cure the patient but is a symptomatic treatment that helps manage the condition. At what point do physicians abandon a non-pharmaceutical treatment approach – healthy diet, exercise, sleep – and decide that prescription medication is needed? When do patients decide that they even want medication? When is their moment of truth? What are the gaps in communication that result in patients being under-prescribed and what tools/resources could close those patient-physician gaps.


| Research

Campus Visit.

Earlier this year one of our large financial services clients launched multiple versions of a prepaid card — a card built on the product and marketing insights from past Fusion Hill research. One version of the card was specifically created to meet the needs of community college students. Six months after a very successful debut, our client wanted to understand more about why students love this card so much. Here’s where we came back in. Our team packed their bags and headed to a community college in Detroit where we held discussion groups with students to understand why, how, when they use this card. Participants did prework in the form of a time capsule, several of our proprietary emotes and even picked a “theme song” that represented their experiences with the card.

Fusion Hill gained extensive insight into not only how participants feel about their card, but why they feel that way. Research explored participants’ diverse lifestyles and motivations and how these impact use and attitudes about the card – their likes and dislikes, the needs it meets and suggestions for improvement. Our client is using this research to translate a successful launch on one college campus into a nationwide student acquisition strategy. Watch for this new card at a campus near you!


| Research

Sunny Shots.

Subzero temperatures won’t slow us down at Fusion Hill, but we sure prefer to stay indoors! On one of Minnesota’s coldest days yet, we teamed up with neighbor, Studio Caswell, for a photo shoot right here in our own building.

We put the “new-year-new-you” adage into action for our client, Elite Hearing Network, by helping them kick off 2014 with a brand refresh. As the largest hearing care network in the US, Elite prides itself on having strong and caring partnerships with health professionals that help to make their member’s businesses more effective and efficient. Our creative team developed a bright, modern and “less-clinical” approach for the brand and the photography. Despite several closings due to cold weather that day, we kept warm by the strobe lights – and ended up with several sunny shots that are sure make this brand resonate.


| Creative

Grab Your Popcorn.


You’ve seen our behind-the-scenes video updates on Facebook last fall. Now, see Fusion Hill staff in action – and the unbelievable stories they captured – on your own screen. Grab some popcorn and find out what happens when one of the world’s largest airlines puts its employees health first.

Our client, a leading health and wellness company, engages members in their care and helps decrease costs across the whole health care system. They were all ears when we pitched creating a video series and microsite to help tell the stories of how people’s lives were being positively impacted because of their service. Fusion Hill partnered with Bionic Giant to create a movie trailer plus four video testimonials to build airline employee awareness about the concierge health service they receive as a part of their benefits. The at-times humorous and very heart touching videos are housed in a dynamic website that reminds viewers to call and speak to a nurse at anytime or to submit their own health story.

With the support of a print and email campaign across the nation, the site and the videos took off! Just 24 hours after going live more than 700 people had visited, over 350 watched a video, 123 took our health quiz and four people had submitted a story.

See why critics – and airline employees – are raving. Watch here!


| Research
 
 

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