Client

A renowned tertiary care cancer hospital in India seeking to enhance its market visibility, refine its brand communication, and strengthen stakeholder engagement across patient, physician, and partner ecosystems.

Objective

In a competitive healthcare domain, where trust, perception, and communication significantly influence patient choice, the client aimed to re-evaluate its existing marketing and brand strategy. The study was initiated with four core objectives:

• Evaluate Current Positioning:
  Understand how the hospital is perceived by different audience groups, including patients, physicians, and partners.

• Conduct a Competitive Benchmarking Study:
  Analyze how the hospital compares with other premium cancer care providers in terms of offerings, brand value, communication strategy, and outreach.

• Perform a SWOT Analysis:
  Identify internal strengths and weaknesses, along with external opportunities and threats in the cancer care ecosystem.

• Develop Targeted Communication Recommendations:
  Create insight-backed marketing and branding strategies that improve stakeholder trust, visibility, and long-term patient engagement.

Methodology

Research Approach:

A semi-structured, multi-method approach integrating:

• Quantitative Surveys to gather insights on perception, awareness, and satisfaction levels

• Qualitative Interviews with key stakeholders to capture emotional and functional feedback

• Secondary Research to benchmark industry practices and emerging healthcare communication trends

Respondent Categories:

• Cancer Patients receiving ongoing or post-treatment care

• Physicians associated with oncology departments or hospital referrals

• Communication/CSR/Marketing Managers working on public and institutional outreach

Key Findings

1. Competitive Positioning & Brand Recall

• The hospital enjoys high awareness in metro and Tier 1 cities, primarily due to its legacy and expert oncologists.

• However, newer entrants in private healthcare are fast capturing mindshare due to aggressive digital campaigns and influencer-backed narratives.

• Patient testimonials and survivorship stories are underleveraged, creating a gap in emotional storytelling.

2. SWOT Analysis Snapshot

3. Target Audience Insights

• Patients value empathy, transparency in communication, and simplified admission-to-discharge workflows.

• Physicians focus on clinical excellence, technology integration, and long-term reputation in treatment protocols.

• Managers seek visibility among insurance companies, corporate CSR programs, and philanthropic networks.

4. Communication Strategy Testing

Multiple messaging themes were tested through stakeholder interviews. The ones that resonated most included:

• “Where Compassion Meets Cutting-Edge Cancer Care”

• “Fighting Cancer Together — With You at Every Step”

• “Trust. Care. Recovery — Backed by Decades of Oncology Leadership”

These themes were seen to improve brand empathy and emotional connection, especially among caregivers and first-time patients.

Business Implications

1. Marketing and Branding Strategy

• Visibility Building: Amplify presence through regional digital campaigns and storytelling-based video content

• Strategic Alliances: Collaborate with insurance, NGOs, and wellness apps to create integrated touchpoints

• Emotional Branding: Use survivor journeys and doctor-patient testimonials to enhance relatability

2. Targeted Stakeholder Engagement

• Host community programs for caregivers and cancer awareness drives

• Introduce physician webinars and clinical update sessions to increase advocacy

• Leverage CSR activations to build long-term partnerships with corporates and philanthropic institutions

3. Communication Refinement

• Redesign brochures, websites, and outpatient communication material with a tone of hope, simplicity, and reassurance

• Introduce multilingual content to reach a wider demographic across urban and rural markets

• Launch drip marketing campaigns for discharged patients, creating post-treatment engagement touchpoints

Conclusion

The study enabled the cancer care hospital to recalibrate its market messaging, align branding efforts with audience expectations, and identify specific opportunities for visibility, outreach, and impact. Armed with deep qualitative and quantitative insights, the client now possesses a roadmap to deliver empathetic, powerful, and memorable healthcare communication.

Want to revitalize your healthcare brand with insight-led communication strategies? Contact Market Xcel to craft research-driven branding and marketing solutions that truly connect with your audience.