OnHealth Network Company Launches $25 Million Advertising Campaign
Company Sees Shift in the Way Consumers Look At Health
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 26, 1999--OnHealth Network Company (Nasdaq: ONHN - news) today unveils a $25 million integrated branding initiative to support its newly redesigned Internet health site, onhealth.com. The site and campaign ''A New Way to Look at Everything OnHealth,'' which premieres today, reflect a new way Americans are defining and thinking about their own personal health.
The launch of this major campaign and the relaunch of onhealth.com mark an important milestone for OnHealth according to Robert Goodman, the company's president and CEO. ''Over the last few years, we have recognized a shift in the way Americans view their health and wellness - being healthy and feeling good is no longer only about regular visits to the doctor,'' Goodman said. ''For the millions turning to the Internet for health-related information in the broadest sense, onhealth.com is a trusted resource providing the breadth of information, resources and interaction that consumers are demanding. And our advertising campaign, designed to resonate with this target consumer, brings this broadened definition of health to the forefront, building awareness of the OnHealth brand and driving traffic to our site.''
Redefining Health
OnHealth's ad campaign, created and produced by TBWA/Chiat/Day in San Francisco, begins airing nationally today. To develop the campaign OnHealth and Chiat/Day conducted in-depth, dedicated consumer research over several months.
''Resoundingly, we heard people describing health in a much broader context than expected, reaching far beyond only preventing illness through conventional methods. Consumers told us that health is first and foremost about achieving balance of mind, body and spirit. It's about living well and incorporating simple elements into daily life that help to improve one's state of mind and overall health and well-being,'' said Tricia Viscardi, Vice President of Marketing at OnHealth. ''Based on this research, we've been able to take full advantage of the opportunity to bring this new definition of health to life through our campaign, and embody it through our revamped online offering.''
The seven 15- and 30-second TV spots, each designed to focus on a different aspect of health and well-being, from common illnesses like the cold to alternative therapies such as Feng Shui, will air nationally on network, cable TV, as well as syndication. The scheduled plan includes: ABC and NBC daytime including The View and The Today Show; The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show and Access Hollywood; primetime on Lifetime, A&E, E!, The Learning Channel, The Food Channel, Comedy Central and HGTV. Under the tagline, ''A new way to look at everything OnHealth,'' the campaign will also include four 60-second radio spots to begin airing later this summer in major markets, as well as an outdoor campaign this fall.
The spots focus on a variety of everyday things - from magnets to pets - that people may not consciously recognize as being considered ''healthy,'' and combine them with a dose of humor to focus on the more fun and joyful aspects of life, getting the consumer's attention, and breaking through the clutter. The TV spots also incorporate screen shots from the Web site to highlight that OnHealth is a vast resource and available to them online.
''The OnHealth campaign is upbeat and inspirational. It makes an emotional connection with consumers by helping them to laugh at themselves and their situation and take life in stride,'' said Carisa Bianchi, President of Chiat/Day, San Francisco. ''The ads express a powerful message about the way people are thinking differently about their personal health and well-being, and point to onhealth.com as the place that understands and embraces this new definition.''
A New Look for onhealth.com
The site has been expanded to embrace the fuller spectrum of health and wellness. More experts answer users' questions ranging from reducing stress, enjoying sex, staying fit, treating disease and even battling insurance companies. Exclusive daily reports put health issues in a practical context. In a new column, ''Listening to Your Body,'' a physician helps users make sense of puzzling symptoms.
At the same time, OnHealth has been redesigned to speed access to all corners of the site -- interactive tools, live shows, discussions, shopping, references, reports, etc. And the site is flexible: users can customize parts of it to create shortcuts to news and discussions that matter most to them.
''We understand the way people think about health today and through onhealth.com we provide information and inspiration for all the ways health is part of their lives,'' said Rebecca Farwell, Executive Vice President and General Manager of OnHealth. ''In addition to our deep medical coverage and our associations with institutions such as the Cleveland Clinic and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, we cover daily health and feeling good, ways to find a healthy balance, and how to actively pursue good health and fitness. We think OnHealth now sets the standard for health sites.''
About OnHealth Network Company
Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, OnHealth Network Company (Nasdaq: ONHN - news) is a leading Internet information and services resource for consumers that provides multiple perspectives and an independent viewpoint on health, wellness and well-being. OnHealth.com was recently ranked as the most highly trafficked independent health content site on the Web. According to the June 1999 Media Metrix report, onhealth.com attracted 892,000 unique visitors in June, a new monthly record for the site. OnHealth Network's advertisers include Astra Pharmaceuticals, Glaxo Wellcome, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Procter & Gamble and SmithKline Beecham. The consumer-driven Web site has also attracted non-endemic advertisers such as Deja News, Dr. Scholl's, Ford, Jamieson Vitamins, Kellogg's, MSN Portal Phase and Women.com. More than 950 Web sites drive traffic to onhealth.com through its numerous distribution and content sharing relationships including: AOL's Digital City, Inc., Better Homes and Gardens, Snap.com, Weather.com, WebTV and Yahoo!.
Certain statements in this release, such as the Company's ability to increase its user base, develop additional distribution relationships and other statements containing ''expects,'' ''anticipates,'' ''intends,'' ''hopes'' or ''believes'' or variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Potential risks and uncertainties include such factors as acceptance of the Company's products and services, including the re-launch of the Company's website, the Company's ability to raise sufficient capital to fully implement the planned advertising campaign, competition and other risks described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998.
ONHEALTH.COM FACT SHEET
The New OnHealth.com
Consumers today have |
