Fast Facts

What
   Ads are broadcast as part of a loop of health-related features on television screens in doctors’ waiting rooms.

Who
   Axolotl’s Accent Health Waiting Room Television Network, headquartered in New York City, is produced in conjunction with CNN.

How it works
   Ads are displayed as part of a one-hour loop on 27-inch screens mounted on a kiosk in doctors’ waiting rooms.
   The network has three channels – General Health, 50 Plus and Young Family -- that physicians can choose from. 
  "The physicians choose the best channel to meet their needs," says Ken Smallwood, senior vice president of Axolotl’s Media Division.
   Programming consists of news features about health issues produced by CNN. Segments include "Parenting Today," "Safety First" and "Food for Thought."
    CNN-produced programming is co-anchored by a doctor and a journalist.
   In addition to ads, sponsorship of features and monthly programs are available.
   MindBender Health Trivia and true or false questions are programmed immediately before ads with the answers provided after the ad. 
   "They are the donut to draw viewers into the commercial spot," Smallwood says.
   A general program loop would include footage on topics like parenting, safety, living well, cooking, making informed decisions and health news, in addition to MindBenders and advertisements.
   Programs are targeted by doctor specialty or type of practice.
   Health Education Centers to display health-related literature are also available in the top 500 trafficked waiting rooms nationwide. Quarterly sponsorships include sponsor logos bannered under the AccentHealth title, four slots for sponsor literature or coupons, and logo on the back cover of informational guides. 
   Some 100,000 sponsored patient education booklets are distributed monthly. Racks are 22 inch by 33 inch Lucite and wood wall units.
   Service is turnkey.
   "Monthly programs follow the national health observances and recognition days like American Heart Month," Smallwood says.
   Upcoming topics include headache awareness and safety for June, skin cancer prevention for July, asthma education in August, cholesterol education and fall allergies in September, breast cancer awareness and dental hygiene in October, diabetes and flu prevention in November and safe toys and gifts in December.
   Loops include 44 minutes of programming interspersed with 16 minutes of commercials.
   Commercial length reflects traditional broadcast standards of 15 seconds to 60 seconds. "Some are custom made and some are recast for us to fit our format and appeal to patients in a waiting room environment," Smallwood says.
   The doctor’s staff chooses one of the three channels, and waiting patients have no mechanism available to change it. There is a minimum volume level.
   Category exclusivity can be purchased.
    "The opportunity depends on the length of participation," Smallwood says. "It breaks out into two distinct categories: over-the-counter and prescription pharmaceuticals."
   Buys are national brands. "The best way to employ the message is to decide which of the three channels and buy all offices," Smallwood says.
   Ads are most often part of a media mix, Smallwood says.

Markets
   AccentHealth is available in 131 Nielsen markets stretching from New York to Los Angeles.

Numbers
   AccentHealth is currently in 11,500 waiting rooms nationwide.
   Over 8.5 million people view the network each month.
   Nearly 104 million impressions are delivered annually, according to Nielsen.
   Doctors who have AccentHealth in their waiting rooms write 99 million-plus prescriptions each year.

How measured?
   Nielsen provides monthly verification of waiting rooms and surveys waiting room traffic and AccentHealth CNN network viewership.

Research
   A study of patients by Audits & Surveys Worldwide (ASW) found that upon leaving their doctors’ offices:

• 55 percent planned to shop at a supermarket, drugstore or pharmacy in less than one hour
• 29 percent planned to shop at a supermarket, drugstore or pharmacy within one to two hours
• 10 percent planned to shop at a supermarket, drugstore or pharmacy within three to four hours
• 52 percent were shopping for food
• 52 percent were shopping for prescription medicine
• 25 percent were shopping for over-the-counter medicine
• 17 percent purchased other health products
• 16 percent purchased beauty products

   More than eight in 10 of those surveyed responded that they were interested in obtaining pamphlets made available at their doctors’ offices.
   Ads shown on AccentHealth provoke dialogue of medication with the doctor with 79 percent of viewers. Additionally, 82 percent of viewers report that a commercial shown on AccentHealth in their doctor’s office is more believable than a commercial shown on television at home according to an Audits & Surveys 2001 study. Also, 27 percent read a health pamphlet or booklet while they waited.
   Viewers feel that AccentHealth provides useful information 97 percent of the time and makes time go by more quickly 96 percent of the time, according to Nielsen Media Research.
   Seventy-two percent of patients arrive at their doctor’s office from home, while 15 percent arrive from work, according to an ASW study. Other ASW studies found broke out the reasons people may be in a doctor’s waiting room:

• 31 percent are routine checkups and well-baby visits
• 27 percent are for treatment of an ongoing medical problem
• 19 percent are for treatment of a new medical condition
• 15 percent are to accompany someone else to an appointment
• 3 percent are for medical emergencies
• 5 percent of respondents stated other reasons not listed

What patients think about during the average half-hour wait in their doctors’ offices:

• 27 percent cite their own health
• 27 percent cite what they're reading in a health pamphlet
• 15 percent cite a conversation they're having about a health issue
• 13 percent cite their family’s health

When patients discuss health information and medication with their doctors:

• 92 percent are given health information by their doctors
• 63 percent discuss prescription medication
• 26 percent pick up health-related information
• 18 percent discuss health-related information they have read
• 16 percent discuss over-the-counter medication
• 15 percent get a pamphlet from their doctor relating to health information they discussed

   Fifty-nine percent of grocery shoppers often or always make brand decisions when they shop while 27 percent sometimes do. 
   Thirty-nine percent of prescription drug users would consider switching a brand while 34 percent have switched. Sixty-eight percent of over-the-counter drug users would consider switching brands while 59 percent have already chosen another product.

What product categories do well?
   "There are two ad bases," Smallwood says. "One is pharmaceutical and the rest is packaged goods, which can be anything from diapers to detergent to health and beauty products for women."

Demographics
   "We can work with advertisers to target a demographic," Smallwood says. "We’ll go to our Nielsen info and help them select the best network."
   The AccentHealth CNN waiting room network has over 104 million viewers nationwide who are spending an average of $72 weekly on groceries, resulting in an audience with a minimum of $7.5 billion in purchasing power for groceries on a weekly basis.

   Targeted reach of women:
   Average age is 40, with women 18 and older making up 69 percent of the audience, adults 18 to 49 making up 58 percent, women 18 to 49 making up 43 percent, and women 25 to 54 making up 43 percent. Average income is $39,000, according to a 2000 Nielsen Media report.

    Targeted reach of the Young Family Channel:
    There are 1.2 million viewers per month, of which 81 percent are women 18 and older with an average household income of $51,800.
   Forty-five percent of children seen in pediatricians’ offices carrying the AccentHealth network are aged 3 through 5 while 33 percent are aged 6 through 12. In the OB network, 33 percent of children of patients are aged 3 through 5 while 37 percent are aged 6 through 12.

Making the buy
   Most buys are for one year, Smallwood says. The exception is seasonal pharmaceutical products.
   Factors that affect pricing include the length of the commercial and which channel or network the ads air on. "They have different reach and frequency," Smallwood says.
   Advertisers are charged only for the Nielsen-verified viewers and not the total waiting room traffic.
   Rates for the first quarter of 2003, based on a projected 11,700 waiting rooms and an audience of 26.5 million adults and 1,196 spots are $396,115 (gross). That breaks down to $331 per spot, 15 cents per viewer and $11.38 per site.
   Exclusivity can be priced into the deal, Smallwood says. "Pharmaceuticals choose that option to lock out their competitors."
   The cost for Health Education Centers is $150,000 quarterly for exclusive distribution.
   Lead-time for booking is six weeks with copy due a week later.

Who’s already on train AccentHealth?
    Nestle Carnation, Nabisco, Puffs, Slim-Fast, Tide, Playtex, Charmin, Motrin, Neutrogena, Tylenol, Stayfree, Carefree, o.b., Johnson & Johnson, Bounty, Singulair, Allegra, CVS/pharmacy, Benadryl, Excedrin, Tide, Vicks, Zantac, Merck and Bristol-Myers.

What they're saying
   "It reaches consumers at the point of care, which is very important." – Leslie Rogers, Marketing Drive USA, who places ads for pharmaceuticals

Web site info
   AccentHealth CNN at www.accenthealth.com

Etc.
   AccentHealth is extending into the Hispanic market in the fourth quarter with 500 waiting rooms. There are currently 40,000 Hispanic-origin medical doctors in the U.S. and 34.3 million Hispanics, with 70 percent living in 12 DMAs. Half of all Hispanic-American doctors practice in the top seven Hispanic markets.

May 28, 2002 © 2002 Media Life

-Kathy Prentice writes about out-of-home advertising  for Media Life, penning her stories from the resort town of Traverse City, in the upper reaches of Michigan.

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