Objective:
To alleviate patients' stress and attract new patients during a facility expansion; to thank staff who served during renovation; to bring people to an open house; to attract media coverage of renovated facilities.

Strategy and Execution:
A 500-bed acute care hospital, the advertiser elected to keep its maternity center functioning during a renovation and creation of a women's wellness center. The target audience of 3000 included patients, medical staff, hospital board and administrators and, ultimately, the local media and community. "Celebrate Life" was the theme. When the new family member arrived, buttons and yard signs reading "It's a Boy (Girl)" were distributed, with stickers reading "I am a big brother (sister)" given to siblings. Babies were given t-shirts, and shopping bags containing safety plugs, baby sitter's memo magnets and other specialties were set out in a cradle for new parents to take. An unexpected highlight was interest generated in he 90-foot plywood temporary wall over the construction area; new parents were invited to sign the wall, then began to add baby's footprints, original art and birth announcements. When the renovation was completed, art from "The Wall" was used on hospital literature, open house invitations, news releases, and coffee mugs. The media were invited with yard signs, coasters and mugs festooned with balloons.

Results:
The target for the open house was 200; more than 600 attended, and two of the three television stations covered the event as did the leading newspaper.