(Re) Framing the Story

In fall 2017, nursing homes took center stage

when several high-profile news stories drew attention to instances of poor conditions and abuse. It was proof that a few bad actors can tarnish an entire industry’s reputation.

The American Health Care Association (AHCA), the organization that represents skilled nursing care facilities, looked to Adfero to help reframe the story about nursing homes. Correcting the record would take more than a positive message from an industry trade group. AHCA and Adfero confronted the reputation challenges head on, acknowledging negative stereotypes and countering them with data to demonstrate an industry-wide commitment to improvement.

To tell the full story, Adfero targeted D.C. healthcare influencers with powerful data, showcasing improvements made and successes achieved in skilled nursing care. The six-month advertising campaign surrounded influencers and policymakers online and in person.

By geofencing specific offices on Capitol Hill, zip code targeting political elites on Facebook and Twitter and dominating certain terminals of Reagan National Airport, Adfero helped AHCA reach the top influencers needed to change perceptions and prevent regulatory repercussions.

In just six months, nursing homes nationwide received a reputational boost with more than 75,000 visits to the campaign microsite. Facebook and Twitter ads were served to targeted social media users more than 13 million times; users saw an ad an average of six times, building audience awareness and recall of the campaign’s key messages.

The results helped skilled nursing care secure crucial support in the federal budget – dodging potential cuts that would have been detrimental to the industry’s ability to ensure quality care.