In case you missed it, in its March 1 issue, Time magazine reported on Martin Lindstrom’s groundbreaking research into neural advertising. This is important reading for anyone in marketing, but particularly for those of us in healthcare.

Lindstrom, a leader in neuromarketing research, has spent the better part of a career trying to ascertain which sounds evoke the most powerful emotional responses. And he believes he has figured it out. The sound that leads the pack – actually, the sound that blows all the other sounds away – may forever change the way hospitals approach television advertising production.

So what sound surpassed all the rest for its ability to generate viewer interest and positive feelings? A baby giggling, which far exceeded the positive responses generated by the distant runners-up, which included the hum of a vibrating cell phone, an ATM dispensing cash, a sizzling steak, and the sound of a soda can being opened and poured.
But let’s stick with the baby.

What hospital hasn’t used a baby in its advertising? In fact, if you go back to the birth of hospital adverting (no pun intended) in the early 1980s, it was mostly a race to see which hospitals could put the cutest babies on the most trafficked billboards. Babies were the kingpin of hospital marketing then, and to some degree, they still are now.
But after reading the Time magazine article, it dawned on me that I couldn’t recall a single time that I actually heard a baby in a hospital TV ad. At least not giggling. This is not surprising, as hospitals are notorious for overlaying soundtracks on their ads that are so syrupy sweet, they could make a diabetic wince.

We have tried so hard to evoke an emotional viewer response through our TV spots with powerful visuals, crisp copy, and heavenly music beds, yet the sound that is the most powerful of all has been masked. As we build our collective brands, it is important to use the tools that can help us craft the strongest, most sustainable brand possible. Who would have thought that the giggle of a baby’s voice would be the strongest sound of all?