October 17, 2024
In a world saturated with information, how can healthcare brands break through the noise to truly connect with their audiences? The answer lies in the power of authentic storytelling delivered by influential voices. The latest installment of GCI Health’s Inspired Exchanges series explored how celebrities and influencers can help amplify healthcare messaging in a discussion between GCI Health’s Global CEO Kristin Cahill and Elisia Canna and Michael Cree, co-leads of the agency’s newly launched celebrity and influencer offering, Muse.
The discussion, hosted for GCI Health’s global colleagues around the world, offered insights into Muse and how it’s changing the game for healthcare brands and empowering deeper connections with stakeholders to drive meaningful engagement that positively impacts people’s lives.
What Makes a Healthcare Muse? The Power of Genuine Connection
The discussion kicked off with a fundamental question posed by Kristin Cahill: What qualities define an ideal healthcare muse? Elisia Canna, a seasoned expert in celebrity partnerships, emphasized the importance of a genuine connection. The ideal muse, she explained, isn’t just a famous face; they have a personal stake in the health issue at hand, whether through lived experience or as a caregiver, family member or friend. This genuine connection fuels their desire to educate, advocate and utilize their platform for good.
Michael Cree, an influencer marketing veteran, echoed the importance of authenticity. He stressed that the ideal muse possesses a real story that resonates with their audience, fostering trust and credibility. This authenticity, he noted, is paramount in healthcare, where audiences seek reliable information from sources they can trust.
Influencer Partnerships: When Passion Meets Purpose
The conversation then shifted to the personal journeys that led Canna and Cree into the celebrity and influencer marketing space. The high-risk, high-reward aspect of celebrity partnerships feeds Canna’s passion for excitement as a self-described thrill seeker. She recounted her early experience working with baseball legend Keith Hernandez for an over-the-counter smoking cessation program. This experience ignited her interest in harnessing the power of celebrity to amplify important health messages and reach wider audiences.
Cree, drawn to the power of storytelling, found his calling in influencer marketing. He recognized the potential of influencers to engage in meaningful healthcare conversations with their followers, making a tangible difference in the lives of people battling chronic diseases and health conditions.
Navigating the Nuances: Best Practices and the Emerging Role of AI
The discussion then delved into the practicalities of celebrity and influencer marketing, prompting Cahill to ask about best practices for successful collaborations in healthcare. Canna emphasized the need for strategic planning to maximize the significant investment required to secure high-profile spokespeople. “It’s important to always be thinking about how you can do more with the talent,” she noted. Canna also says that it’s critical to involve talent in message development, if possible, to ensure the campaign is on brand for the talent, too. She cautioned about the importance of setting clear boundaries and educating celebrities about the strict regulations governing healthcare communications.
Both Canna and Cree acknowledged the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in celebrity and influencer marketing. From vetting talent to ensure brand safety to testing message effectiveness, AI is poised to revolutionize how healthcare brands approach these collaborations.
Diversity, Inclusivity and Lived Experiences: Critical for Authentic Influence
As the conversation wound down, the discussion focused on a critical aspect of impactful communications and ensuring celebrity and influencer campaigns are inclusive and representative of diverse audiences, particularly those most impacted by a disease or who stand to benefit from a treatment. Both Canna and Cree highlighted GCI Health’s commitment to building multicultural teams and incorporating diverse perspectives into the work. They emphasized the importance of understanding and reflecting the lived experiences of the target audience to create truly resonant and impactful campaigns.
GCI Health’s Inspired Exchanges is an ongoing series that illuminates the insights of internal thought leaders across a range of topics relevant to today’s healthcare communicators. To learn more, click the #InspiredExchanges tag above.
