"Patriotic Marketing" for the Fourth of July - Is It a Good Fit For Your Healthcare Company?

With the Fourth of July approaching, most people are excited to grill hamburgers, play lawn games, and pull out their favorite American Flag T-shirts. But for many companies, the Fourth means engaging in "patriotic marketing." You may not even notice when patriotic marketing is being implemented into campaigns, but many companies see significant results in capitalizing on traditional American idealism. So, would patriotic marketing be a good tactic for your business?

What is Patriotic Marketing?

Patriotic marketing is any marketing tactic that fosters a sense of American national pride. This type of marketing can range from changing the packaging of your product to reflect an American theme, to providing donations to U.S. Veterans. Overall, it is a widely used marketing technique because it creates a sense of loyalty with American customers, and a level of trust and unity between the company and the customer. Businesses have been capitalizing on these relationships, built from national pride, for years. When it comes to healthcare, however, there is a specific patriotic marketing trend that is extremely successful, and this is the promotion of safety.

Patriotic Marketing in The Healthcare Industry

Patriotic marketing in healthcare can be extremely successful when executed correctly. B2B healthcare marketers must be careful to leave any semblance of politics out of their messaging. Our suggestion: Providing helpful safety tips proves to be the best patriotic marketing technique when it comes to the healthcare industry. Like with any marketing campaign, the end goal is to show your company shares core, unifying values so that people can feel connected with your business. What could be more universally appreciated than keeping loved ones safe?

An example of patriotism being utilized in marketing is an article uploaded prior to the Fourth of July by the American Veterinary Medical Association that promotes safety precautions for pets with the upcoming holiday. You can access the article by clicking here.

In addition, a blog post titled, "Fourth of July Made Fun and Safer with EWG" by EWG, a non profit company dedicated to health research and education in all of its forms delineates effective patriotic marketing from a healthcare point of view. The article is a detailed outline of healthy habits when celebrating the holiday, from what foods to buy, to what beaches and other bodies of water are safe to swim in. Each tip has links to previous EWG articles as references.

Even though these Fourth of July marketing efforts didn't include stars and stripes or scenic American views, the technique was still evident and it spoke volumes. The desire to protect the health and well-being of Americans--and their pets-- is the patriotic marketing strategy that really works for healthcare organizations. Both of these articles were successful in promoting safety and strengthening their own credibility simultaneously. They were able to portray themselves as companies that look out for their fellow American citizens.

So, is patriotic marketing around the Fourth of July a good fit for you and your healthcare company?

This is something that you will need to assess in regards to your own organization. However, at KNB we feel that patriotic marketing, when used correctly and with integrity, can really take a marketing campaign to whole new levels. With the upcoming holiday, why not pay a little more attention to the patriotic marketing efforts of other companies, and think about how you could possibly implement your own?

Have a fun, and safe, Fourth of July from the team at KNB Communications.