Ketchum s Health and Wellness Trend Report

Transcription

1 Ketchum s Health and Wellness Trend Report July 2012

2 Foreword Health and wellness has changed from an individual pursuit to live well to a statement of one s own place in the social hierarchy. To successfully engage people with health and wellness products and messages, communicators need to know what is going to engage them today and tomorrow. Ketchum s Well-Connected specialty a communications offering grounded in the deep knowledge and insights of professionals who work at the intersection of brand, food and health is constantly assessing what is going to happen in health and wellness and how we can leverage future trends for clients and their business strategies. This unfettered curiosity compelled us to create our first Well-th: Ketchum s Health and Wellness Trend Report. This report is the result of the questions we ask every day that to stay ahead of what people want: What makes people do what they do to preserve their wellbeing? What changes are going to happen in the next several months? Next several years? And, where are behaviors headed? The answers highlighted that the alpha health and wellness influencer is technology; not as an information resource but as a health management tool. To change behaviors and drive better habits, companies need to curate content, programs and tools that will reach people where they intersect with technology and wellbeing. Ketchum is excited to share the trends that will shape the health and wellness landscape and we look forward to harnessing these opportunities to connect clients health and wellness offerings with target consumers. Leslie Schrader Partner, Director, DC Brand Practice and Well-Connected leslie.schrader@ketchum.com Who (or What) Sways Health and Wellness Decisions Today? Just as in every other aspect of our lives, technology is infiltrating health and wellness and doctors are now the second opinion. In a virtual flip of the wellbeing decision-making process, people are looking more to the technology they use for information and personal guidance and then seeking healthcare providers and advisors to validate their conclusions. Today s consumers are using the technology in their lives to be increasingly health-informed and health-engaged. They re proactively participating in the treatment of their own conditions and those of loved ones, and they re mastering the task of finding and disseminating information from and to people like themselves. Each example we lay out within this report ladders back up to one truism: Technology is the dominant influencer, and consumers are using it and adapting it for their personal wellbeing pursuits. Companies, brands and communicators need to do the same. Curate Content to Connect While people diagnose themselves with information found online, we know that not all content is accurate. Beyond the obvious need to understand what is credible, finding ways to help them curate content appeals to the quality dimension on the health and wellness index. This is where people evaluate the range, depth and level of sophistication of products and services. Experts, companies and people who are passionate about pursuing health and wellness should help them understand that depth may not equal quality. 1

3 Key Trend One: The Migration from Self-Help to Self-Health Self-help has evolved to self-health, where people seek to improve their health with proliferating tools and technology. Patients are increasingly using information on the Internet to diagnose their conditions and determine their treatment plans, which is changing the doctor-patient relationship paradigm. Patients often diagnose themselves before seeing a physician for the second opinion. Many platforms from interactive healthcare kiosks to personalized health sites are allowing consumers to empower themselves. As consumers increasingly turn to self-service technologies and channels, the entire industry has a tremendous opportunity to reach, engage and interact with today s empowered consumer. And that will yield some powerful results from consumers to doctors to advertisers. And while people diagnose themselves with information found online, we know that not all content is accurate. Beyond the obvious need to understand what is credible, finding ways to help them identify information appeals to the quality dimension on the wellbeing index. This is where people evaluate the range, depth and level of sophistication of products and services. Experts, companies and people who are passionate about pursuing health and wellness should help them understand that depth many not equal quality. Communicators need to help people find credible information and support wherever they need it from the restaurant to the dressing room to the online health portal to support the journey to self-health. Your Health in Your Hands 80% of U.S. Internet users search the web for health-related information and answers 27% of U.S. Internet users have tracked health data online 18% have sought to locate others with similar health concerns via the Internet 4 out of 5 Internet users search online for health information. Of these: 6 in 10 say the information found online affected a decision about how to treat an illness or condition 1 in 2 say it led them to ask a doctor new questions or to get a second opinion from another doctor 1 in 2 say it changed the way they think about diet, exercise, or stress management 1 in 3 say it affected a decision about whether to see a doctor (Fox S. Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project May 12. The social life of health information 2011) In Tokyo, Tanita Shokudo provides expert culinary information about all items on the menu, aiming to help those wanting to eat out without compromising their diet plans. Each table is fitted with a scale to measure healthy portions, while a timer indicates when the optimum duration of 20 minutes for completing their lunch is over. Professional dietitians are also on-hand to provide advice on eating regimes. People in 7 countries including the United States, said that they primarily go to a health website (48%) to find information to help them make decisions about their healthcare (PricewaterhouseCoopers survey) 2

4 Key Trend Two: It s Not an Apple a Day Anymore; It s an App (or 10) a Day Self-health is further supported through the creation of thousands of health and wellness apps that allow users to track their wellbeing at all times. The question isn t what will these apps do, but what won t they do: 26% of use a mobile device to search for health information (Manhattan Research Report, 2011) U.S. adults Today, 9,000 health-related apps in the Apple App Store By end of 2012, there will be 13,000+ that means at least 10 new health apps per day Calculate calories during exercise Play soundtracks for different daily activities, from going to sleep to developing a memo Quantify pain over time Display pictures that can elicit memories in Alzheimer s patients Track vital signs and diet to help manage diabetes Manipulate surroundings in an MRI scan to make a patient feel more comfortable And while the number of apps and their functions expand, questions will arise in terms of credibility and regulation. For example, just like medications, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is now defining what apps will require FDA s clearance, another step to ensure that people are getting credible information, but an additional consideration to plan for when building an app. If a brand or a company has a unique health benefit or promise, the world of apps could be the perfect avenue to provide people with the tools they need to achieve health and wellness goals. 3

5 Key Trend Three: Social Health = Wellbeing Paradoxically, we are relying more on social networks for our social wellness. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest are all places for community members to share information. As we fully own our wellbeing, it is natural to share our findings, opinions and questions. Google+ is the newest and simplest example of a social network where wellness is thriving. It is a closed environment where members are sharing their personal health information, questions and advice. Others are more tailored for specific concerns and extend to different audiences, in different spaces. Physicians began with Sermo, and today Voxmed allows professionals to share opinions, seek advice and connect with colleagues. In the workplace, co-workers use networks to drive h ealthy behaviors. PleaseCycle encourages healthy cycling through client-branded online portals where employees can plan routes, chat with other cyclists and log mileage. Companies are adding a little fun to health and wellness through interpersonal gaming, providing sophisticated indulgences for people. In fact, social wellness games can be good for your health. WiiFit is a well-known example, but others are in this space, like The Life Game, which rewards players for taking steps toward achieving goals in their career, lifestyle and health. To thrive in the health and wellness space and be top of mind, brands need to communicate their intrinsic health benefits through messages in concert with engaging interaction they need to be part of the social health and self-health ecosphere. emotional support migraines asthma sufferers cancer patients Sickness Forecasting & Mapping Social Health Games make people better patients; they are more engaged in treatment, more knowledgeable about their care and adherence can improve. (Journal of Pediatrics: A Video Game Improves Behavioral Outcomes in Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer: A Randomized Trial, 2008) people said they would be OK with having their personal health data shared among hospitals, doctors, insurance companies and drug companies if that would improve care. (PricewaterhouseCoopers Health Research Institute Survey, 2011) of surveyed U.S. adults use social media to connect with health organizations or with other people with similar health-care interests. (PricewaterhouseCoopers Health Research Institute Survey, 2011)

6 Implications Now more than ever, consumers want a personal, engaging experience with your brand as long as it is tailored to their health and wellness perspective. They want to be empowered with information and feel free to go to their trusted resources for support, guidance and interaction. Those of us in health and wellness are entering the space of relatable health and wellness, similar to the web s evolution. The best thing we can do as communicators is to mine this opportunity and give people the information, tools and fun they seek individually and together to help them achieve their health and wellness goals. With expanding technology and a focus on using it to better personal and social health, brands and companies today can create custom content, tools and experiences that underscore specific health and wellness benefits for people and meet them where they are. As we said before, these are the trends we see today. We won t stop asking what is coming tomorrow, and we look forward to sharing more trends in the future. In the meantime, we are always available to talk about how you can use these trends to help further your health and wellness communications objectives. About Well-th: Ketchum s Health and Wellness Trend Report Well-th: Ketchum s Health and Wellness Trend Report is the first report distributed by Ketchum s Well-Connected team and was based on research conducted with Ketchum s Global Research and Analytics, Ketchum Digital as well as unique insights from Now Plus One. About Ketchum Ketchum is a leading global communications firm with operations in more than 70 countries across six continents. Named 2012 Agency of the Year (PRWeek) and the winner of an unprecedented three consecutive PRWeek Campaign of the Year Awards, Ketchum partners with clients to deliver strategic programming, game-changing creative and measurable results that build brands and reputations. For more information on Ketchum, a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC), visit Copyright Ketchum 2012 All rights reserved. 5

7 Leslie Schrader Partner and Director, DC Brand Practice and Well-Connected Deirdre Middleton Vice President/Account Supervisor