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SAN FRANCISCO — Health Mart plans to kick off national television advertising campaign this weekend to highlight its personalized care and services, just days after announcing that the franchise has signed up its 2,500th pharmacy.
Dubbed "Health Mart Town," the 15- and 30-second TV commercials are scheduled to begin airing Sunday during the Grammy Awards telecast on CBS, Health Mart said, adding that the campaign will cover 77 local markets nationwide.
The media blitz also is slated to include TV spots during the Super Bowl on CBS, Winter Olympic Games on NBC and the Academy Awards in March on ABC. Another five-week blanket of TV spots is set to air on networks including CBS, NBC, HGTV, TLC, USA, A&E, Fox News, Style, TNT, Lifetime and The Food Network.
Health Mart noted that the new campaign’s message extends that of other Health Mart marketing efforts, such as the recent Health Across America consumer campaign. Developed by IPG’s Avrett Free Ginsberg (AFG), Health Mart Town features real-life stories of how Health Mart pharmacists have impacted their local communities by taking the time to care and provide special services such as diabetes counseling and testing, the drug store franchise said.
"Health Mart pharmacies focus on providing great customer service, as recognized by J.D. Power and Associates in 2009, is what we’re seeking to spotlight through the new Health Mart Town campaign," Health Mart president Tim Canning said in a statement. J.D. Power ranked Health Mart No. 1 among drug chains in terms of customer satisfaction in its 2009 National Pharmacy Study.
"Health Mart is a national network of more than 2,500 locally owned pharmacies offering the special care and service you can only get from a member of your community," Canning explained. "This new advertising campaign highlights the emotional connection our pharmacists have with their customers, and it showcases that devotion to a national audience, while spotlighting the fact that Health Mart pharmacies are practically everywhere."
The TV campaign will launch with stories about two Health Mart pharmacists: Terry Spears of Family Health Mart Pharmacy in Vernon, Texas, and Marc Brandell of Madison Avenue Health Mart in New York City. All footage was shot on location, with the actual pharmacists playing themselves, according to Health Mart.
"The main point we’re trying to communicate with Health Mart Town is that no matter where you are — whether that’s a small town in Texas or a big city like New York City, and anything in-between — a locally owned Health Mart pharmacy turns any place into a Health Mart Town … and that’s a great thing for you, your family and your community," commented AFG creative director Alex Bloom.
The TV spots were shot by director Andrews Jenkins of Go Films and are filmed in black and white, with the only color elements being the Health Mart signage.
"With an aggressive national media buy including an overlay of local spots in more than 75 strategic markets during the Super Bowl and an array of high-profile award shows, both AFG and Health Mart executives are optimistic that it won’t be long before the whole country is logging on to the Health Mart web site to find out if they live in a Health Mart Town," stated AFG chairman Frank Ginsberg. "And with the independent pharmacy network’s considerable growth over the past few years, chances are they do."
Health Mart on Wednesday reported that it has signed up its 2,500th pharmacy: Trudell Health Mart Pharmacy in Dearborn, Mich.
"We joined Health Mart to take advantage of the innovative marketing, operational and patient care programs available to its network of independent pharmacies. Then we found out we were the 2,500th pharmacy to go blue and green, which is exciting because we just celebrated 80 years of serving the community. We think that Health Mart will help us succeed for another 80 years," commented Tom Fakih, owner of Trudell Health Mart Pharmacy.
"By providing new services and programs that help us better care for, educate and inform our patients — such as Health Mart’s recent Health Across America campaign to test people for diabetes risk — Health Mart pharmacies are making a difference in our customers’ lives," Fakih added. "This personalized attention is especially important for patients with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, who can benefit from ongoing coaching and advice to help manage their condition."
Health Mart, a unit of McKesson Corp., said the signing marks a big milestone for the independent drug store franchise, which is the nation’s fourth-largest retail pharmacy chain, with locations in 50 states.
"Being ranked highest in customer satisfaction by J.D. Power and Associates, coupled with our growth to 2,500 pharmacies, is a further demonstration of Health Mart’s commitment to the local Health Mart pharmacists and staff who serve their communities," Canning remarked. "It’s clear that consumers and pharmacists alike continue to take notice of the unmatched, affordable and personal care that Health Mart pharmacies deliver."
Health Mart offers a comprehensive program for locally owned independent pharmacies, including national branding, third-party contracting and reimbursement services, in-store merchandising, clinical programs and other business services. In addition, the franchise operates pilot programs for a variety of pharmacy solutions, such as medication therapy management and central fill.
Among retail drug chains, Health Mart is No. 4 behind Walgreens, CVS Caremark and Rite Aid with pharmacy dollar volume of $4.9 billion, according to Chain Drug Review‘s 2009 Annual Report of Retail Pharmacy.
