The Patient First/Urgent Care concept was unknown to most consumers in 2006. In fact, awareness was very low and when known, the perceptions were mostly negative. Patient First desired expansion into new markets from its Richmond, VA roots.

We faced several challenges:

• Educate communities and build awareness
• Define and differentiate its brand
• Build an integrated marketing communications program that could serve as a template for expansion of 8-12 centers per year in markets as large as Philadelphia and as small as Norfolk.

Building on extensive primary research to identify key audiences, we developed a multi-channel campaign to promote the opening of each new center.

We created a balanced multi-media campaign using TV/cable, Radio, Newspaper, Direct Mail, Pay per Click, Search and Out of Home advertising (Outdoor/Transit) and applied our knowledge for each of the unique markets to maximize reach and frequency.

• Our strategic media plan assisted in educating consumers and motivating them to respond in such a way that each location opened on its first day with 35-65 patients without appointment.
• Break-even time for new locations was slashed from an average of 18 months to six! This fueled further expansion for this privately-held corporation. From 2006 to 2021, we partnered to open 46 locations in 5 states and 8 DMAs within the Mid-Atlantic region.