Ochsner Featured2Ochsner

The Challenge
Ochsner Health System is one of the largest independent academic health systems in the United States and Louisiana’s largest nonprofit health system. So it goes without saying that in Louisiana, Ochsner has no problem with brand awareness. With 11 hospitals both owned and managed, more than 40 health centers, more than 15,000 employees, over 2,500 affiliated physicians in more than 90 medical specialties and subspecialties, Ochsner is Louisiana’s largest health system.

The company’s Philanthropy Department was developing an inaugural event to bring awareness and raise money for their new NICU at their Ochsner Baptist locations: The world’s first King Cake Festival.They needed help developing and branding the King Cake Festival and they needed it very quickly — starting from scratch [cake pun intended].

The Approach
RUSSO developed an identity and then went to work on the creative. We knew a King Cake Festival hosted at Champions Square at the Superdome would be very exciting to local, but the problem was that so many things happen during Mardi Gras and we’d competing with a lot of noise.

The Results
With a mix of print, TV, radio, and online, we helped build awareness for the festival in an already crowded Crescent City event season. Ochsner hoped to have 3,000 people attend the inaugural event but more than 12,000 participated exceeding expectations by more than 400%. Plus, the media coverage was unbelievable. With the client, we starting planning the following year’s Festival immediately after the first one ended.

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Ochsner King Cake Festival from RUSSO on Vimeo.

Jaci Russo is a Brand Strategist with more than 20 years of experience on a national level in a cross-section of industries. Her experience has included strategic planning, brand management, national product launches, and media management for local, regional and national clients.