Stethoscope With a Heart
Cox Communications
180LA
Overview
Cox Communications believes that their technology can be used to help people establish more meaningful human connections. Introducing the “Stethoscope With A Heart,” a lifesaving device that helps doctors listen better.
The Challenge
Cox’s brand purpose is to help people have more meaningful human connections. However, to many of its customers, Cox is simply the regional cable and internet provider they are stuck with – at best, it’s just a utility bill – not a brand that shares their values. We needed to demonstrate to people that Cox is not just a number you call when your internet connection is down. Instead, it is a brand that you can rely on when human connection is needed.
“The ‘Stethoscope with a Heart’ campaign was based on a particularly compelling challenge. Research showed that doctors struggle to balance getting their demanding jobs done while connecting with their patients. On average, they spend only 11 seconds listening to patients before interrupting. This issue is even more prevalent among black women, with 70% reporting not being listened to by their doctors. Furthermore, black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related issues than white women. This data further highlights the significant health inequality gap that exists in our society.”
The Solution
Studies indicate that compassionate connections between doctors and patients can bridge the gap and lead to better medical outcomes. Through innovation, 180LA and Cox Communications developed a life-saving technology that reminds doctors to listen, connect, and lead with compassion.
“Stethoscope with a Heart” is a device that helps doctors listen. During medical exams, when the device is turned on, it records patient visits and provides feedback to doctors based on three critical metrics: interruptions, balance of conversation, and overuse of medical jargon. The data is translated into easy-to-understand positive reinforcement and gives helpful nudges to the doctors, enabling them to track their performance over time and improve their relationship with potentially neglected patients.
The Results
Brand behaviors like this campaign have been proven to drive overwhelmingly positive sentiment for the Cox Communications brand. As a result, the brand has achieved an 82% positive brand sentiment in comparison to the 8% industry-wide. This campaign successfully brought emotion and humanity to the Internet category, which is known to be very functional and heartless.
The prototype has received an overwhelmingly positive response from the medical community, which expressed a need for the device. The feedback from physicians has inspired Cox to expand their plans, and they are now looking to offer it to the more than 100,000 hospitals and healthcare providers they currently serve. This expansion into a new category has helped Cox add value and enter people’s lives in an authentic way, allowing the brand to be credited for the good it can create.
