How Cone Health is building trust in health care advertising with real providers

“I’m not a doctor, but I play one on TV.”

Those words were first brought to life in the 80s by two soap opera actors, who played doctors on TV, and were cast in commercials for Vicks Formula 44 cough syrup. While their casting was likely intended to bring an added level of trust and a “doctor”-adjacent endorsement for the product, the line has lived on in our vernacular to imply a less-than-reputable source.

With commercial breaks already packed with pharmaceutical ads accompanied by lengthy disclaimers, authenticity and trust are more crucial than ever — especially in the health care industry.

“Consumers prioritize honesty over expertise and experience when selecting health care providers,” according to Mintel’s The Changing Face of Healthcare report. “This is because honesty helps build trust, which is essential in the health care experience.”

While recent reports estimate a person may see 4,000 - 10,000 ads per day, finding a way to break through the clutter without being perceived as inauthentic or disingenuous can be challenging. Savvy marketers have begun to look for ways to stand out by highlighting the brand’s best ambassadors — their employees.

North Carolina-based health care system, Cone Health, recently did just that. In a highly competitive region filled with well-known university hospitals, Cone Health aimed to ground their new Heart & Vascular spot in authenticity by featuring real employees and providers. Conceived and produced in partnership with Mythic, this spot gives consumers an opportunity to hear directly from the doctors and nurses who have helped Cone Health earn its nationally-recognized reputation.

Featuring employees and providers in advertising, as Cone Health has done, can benefit an organization in a number of ways, including:

• Building customer trust by connecting them to employees, who represent credible sources of information
• Humanizing the brand, by putting faces and voices to the organization
• Giving employees, both on-camera and off, an increased sense of pride and ownership in representing their organization. As one doctor said while on set, “We’re doing great things here…getting the word out is the best thing to do; and if I can be a part of that I’m happy to do it.”

As Mintel’s Marketing to Gen Z report and other studies continue to show, “...brands that maintain honesty, transparency, and genuine interactions can build deeper, more resilient connections, ultimately driving long-term loyalty and trust.” So, if you want your brand to feel real and relatable, consider giving consumers an introduction to a few of the people who will be directly responsible for their experiences.

At Mythic, we don’t just build brands; we create experiences. By combining data-driven insights with creative vision, we build and refine your brand, amplify your message and engage your target audience across every platform.

Ready to elevate your brand and become an unstoppable force for growth? Reach out to newbiz@mythic.us to get started.