Brand as a Competitive Advantage
Learn from Mark Viden, SVP of Brand at CommonSpirit Health about using brand promises as operating principles to gain competitive advantage.
CommonSpirit Health is the 7th largest healthcare organization in the country. Formed in 2019 through the alignment of Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) and Dignity Health, CommonSpirit is also one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the U.S., with more than 1,000 care sites in 23 states coast to coast, serving 20 million patients in big cities and small towns across America.
Guest Bio
Mark Viden is Senior Vice President of Brand for CommonSpirit Health, the 7th largest health system in the U.S. He drives brand development, advertising, and digital strategies that promote growth, awareness and consumer preference across the organization.
As part of these efforts, Mark spearheads the award-winning “Hello humankindness” brand platform which communicates the organization’s unparalleled and pioneering approach to care through kindness, and he is currently leading the platform’s national expansion. His vision, which includes content showcasing touching moments and relationships, ensures patients, physicians and employees are intrinsically aware of an unyielding commitment to humanity. Most recently, Mark was the recipient of the Campaign US 2020 Power of Purpose Award for his innovative work on the organization’s brand platform, "Hello humankindness," demonstrating continued brand leadership and recognition within and beyond the health industry.
In addition to overseeing brand advertising, Mark is responsible for developing branded experiences through sports sponsorships, event activations and other channels. He also directs social media strategies and native content development.
Prior to joining Dignity Health, Mark held marketing positions in both Boston and San Francisco. He started his career at the advertising agency, Hill Holiday, then moved brand-side in the financial services industry. He also led brand development for a boutique agency that served both startups and established brands, such as Hewlett Packard, NBCi, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Mark is a frequent industry and academic speaker, having appeared at the Association of National Advertisers conferences, the Incite Marketing Summit and the Experiential Marketing Summit, and the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business’ Center for Social Sector Leadership. He was most recently a jury member for the Provoke Media SABRE Awards, ANA International ECHO Awards and the Effie Awards, and has served on the board of the International Association of Business Communicators.
Guest Bio
Mark Viden is Senior Vice President of Brand for CommonSpirit Health, the 7th largest health system in the U.S. He drives brand development, advertising, and digital strategies that promote growth, awareness and consumer preference across the organization.
As part of these efforts, Mark spearheads the award-winning “Hello humankindness” brand platform which communicates the organization’s unparalleled and pioneering approach to care through kindness, and he is currently leading the platform’s national expansion. His vision, which includes content showcasing touching moments and relationships, ensures patients, physicians and employees are intrinsically aware of an unyielding commitment to humanity. Most recently, Mark was the recipient of the Campaign US 2020 Power of Purpose Award for his innovative work on the organization’s brand platform, "Hello humankindness," demonstrating continued brand leadership and recognition within and beyond the health industry.
In addition to overseeing brand advertising, Mark is responsible for developing branded experiences through sports sponsorships, event activations and other channels. He also directs social media strategies and native content development.
Prior to joining Dignity Health, Mark held marketing positions in both Boston and San Francisco. He started his career at the advertising agency, Hill Holiday, then moved brand-side in the financial services industry. He also led brand development for a boutique agency that served both startups and established brands, such as Hewlett Packard, NBCi, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Mark is a frequent industry and academic speaker, having appeared at the Association of National Advertisers conferences, the Incite Marketing Summit and the Experiential Marketing Summit, and the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business’ Center for Social Sector Leadership. He was most recently a jury member for the Provoke Media SABRE Awards, ANA International ECHO Awards and the Effie Awards, and has served on the board of the International Association of Business Communicators.
Episode Summary
This episode features an interview with Mark Viden, SVP of Brand at CommonSpirit Health, a non-profit that operates 140 hospitals and more than 2,200 care centers serving sites across 24 states.
In this episode, Mark discusses building an emotional connection with the consumer, using your brand promise as an operating principle and his focus on sharing the amazing stories in the healthcare industry.
Key Takeaways
- When brand promises are guiding principles for company operations, it creates a competitive advantage.
- When building a brand, focus on the people in your ecosystem and on creating an emotional connection with the consumer.
Quotes
“What I see and have seen all the time is the competitors will start to nibble at what we do. They'll start to come in and borrow some of our themes. But they never stay with it because, again, I think kind of the flavor of the day and then the shiny object over there captures their attention and they're on to something else. Where we have this anchoring principle, 'Hello humankindness' that, again, is seeded through so many areas of the organization.It is our brand promise.”
Episode Highlights
*(04:19) The Trust Tree: Building an emotional connection with the consumer
*(16:12) The Playbook: Creating value alignment
*(30:44) Quick Hits: Mark’s Quick Hits
Episodes Transcript
- When brand promises are guiding principles for company operations, it creates a competitive advantage.
- When building a brand, focus on the people in your ecosystem and on creating an emotional connection with the consumer.
Recent
Pipeline Visionaries
Episodes
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.svg)
