Hospital Branding Project for North Alabama Medical Center
Our team led the hospital interior design project for North Alabama Medical Center. We loved this interior branding project because of the impact that it would have on the community and our ability to leverage the hospital’s brand and marketing to create a cohesive connection.
Interior branding, or environmental branding, is the act of infusing a brand’s visual aesthetic and message into a physical space. Environmental branding harnesses the tactics of interior design. But it goes beyond aesthetics to create a transformative, branded experience for people who enter the space.
For North Alabama Medical Center, our team was engaged to handle the launch marketing campaign, as well as the hospital interior design and environmental graphic design.
Our goal for the launch marketing portion of the project was to trumpet the opening of the hospital and what it would mean to the community. Aside from being the largest construction project in the region since the early 1900s, the hospital would unite two segments of the community under one umbrella of care. The local community would benefit from the new hospital immensely, and our team was excited to communicate this message.
The other aspect of the project was to bring the message into the physical space of the hospital in a tangible manner. We were charged with the environmental branding for the space, and our focus was primarily on environmental graphics. Another firm had been retained to select furniture, fixtures, and artwork. However, our team would be responsible for all branded art within the hospital.
The gift shop within the main lobby was encased in large paneled windows. On these windows, we would create a simple design that would draw attention to a high-profile, key service line.
The design would feature tracings to mimic EKG outputs, leading into a branded heart icon. A statistic relating to cardiac care at North Alabama Medical Center would accompany the line design. The window vinyl would be extremely subtle and could be switched out as desired to showcase various key service lines.
The elevator lobbies on each floor were also identified as high-impact areas for messaging. It was here that we created custom graphics to communicate facts about the hospital that would establish it as a top provider of care in the region. We were especially intentional about showcasing statistics of success for guests to read on the critical care and cardiac floors. We wanted to convey a sense of competence and care that might put a visitor’s mind at ease.
Additionally, patient testimonials were highlighted throughout the hospital. These testimonials were showcased through branded graphics installed in high-traffic areas such as the cafeteria. Bringing in testimonials alongside stats and awards was intentional in an effort to humanize the claim that top-notch care could be found within the walls of the hospital.
Finally, we wanted people to know that the providers and services at North Alabama Medical Center are nationally and locally recognized in key areas of care. These areas included cardiac care, labor and delivery, emergency medicine, senior care, and more. Messaging was developed to highlight these achievements and service lines in a manner that would provide patients and families with the peace of mind that comes with being in capable hands.
As part of the hospital interior design project, we worked on a special section of the space that would be dedicated to employees. This area was adjacent to the entry doors leading in from the staff parking lot. Here, we developed graphics that connected the team with the campaign slogan, #IMFORBETTER.
This hashtag was utilized throughout the hospital launch marketing campaign and became part of a social media movement surrounding the opening of the hospital. This slogan was implemented in a large-scale installation within the space, and the graphic was signed by all hospital personnel in a pledge to stand for better care.
Upon entering the building, employees traveled down a long hallway leading to the “front-of-house” portion of the hospital. We proposed that this space serve to encourage and empower the team through custom graphic installation.
On one side of the hallway, the wall would spotlight qualities and values that are part of the NAMC employee culture. This would be implemented through a variety of vinyl or stand-off letters showcasing type, icons, and illustrations.
The other side of the wall would display a large-scale install of the words “YOU’VE GOT THIS.” On the floor, the brand message “Go Be Extraordinary” would usher the employee out into the hospital. On the way back to their cars after a shift, employees would be greeted with floor graphics stating, “You Were Extraordinary,” to remind them of the impact they make every day. These messages would be encouraging and uplifting and help maintain the culture while also acting as a “selfie wall” to encouraging social sharing.
Additionally, an installation showcasing employee headshots was allocated to the Human Resources office. This was another nod to the people who make up the organization and as a method for humanizing the hospital.
There were several other spaces within the hospital that received custom graphic treatments. All of the environmental graphics were geared toward the goal of creating a movement focused on providing better care for the entire region. And all of the graphics aligned with both the brand’s visual aesthetic and its desire to unite the region.
Hospital Interior Design Project: Discovery
Our first step in creating a hospital interior design plan was to sit down with our clients and discuss their vision for the project. Hospital leaders obviously wanted the space to communicate compassion and healing. However, there was another element that was brought to the forefront of the conversation. This was the community aspect. As mentioned, the hospital would unite two areas within the region. On the map, these areas were separated by a bridge, and each area previously was served by its own hospital. By bringing the regions together, and serving them from one technologically advanced medical center, all would have access to higher-quality care. With the goal in mind, we walked the space to pinpoint opportunities for imagery and messaging. Every nook and cranny were inspected, and our team evaluated the space from the perspective of the patient, the visitor, the caregiver, and the hospital staff. During this part of the discovery, we also talked through the budget for both strategy, design, and installation. This gave us an idea of the scope of work and provided us with our boundaries. During the walk-through of the hospital, we noted all opportunities but focused on high-impact spaces to leverage the limited budget.
Hospital Interior Design Project: Strategy and Design
Following the walk-through, we created an overall strategy for environmental branding. This strategy started with an interior branding plan. This plan used the hospital floor plan as a reference to illustrate opportunities for graphics and messaging throughout the space. This process allowed the client to gain an understanding of where branded installations would be placed. It also gave the client an idea of the general art direction and messaging for each installation before anything custom was developed. For North Alabama Medical Center, we focused heavily on the main lobby, elevator lobbies, and guest waiting areas. Additionally, we allocated a portion of the budget for the hospital cafeteria. In the main lobby, our team proposed a large-scale art installation that would pay homage to each of the two hospitals that would now be coming together under one roof. It was important for us to provide prominent placement for a piece that would honor both subsections of the community. The architect worked with the construction company to create a bridge structure that would span the area above the main lobby’s thoroughfare. On the wall panels underneath the bridge, we proposed featuring images from each of the two main communities that the hospital would serve. One panel would feature photos of iconic landmarks, current photos of locals, and photos that represent important moments in Muscle Shoals’ history. The other side was reserved for a pictorial history of the other community represented which was Florence, Alabama. Leading up to the bridge, the architect had designed undulating walls to represent the water that flows under the bridge. We wanted to utilize this space to further unite the community. We proposed stand-off letters mounted on the waved walls to share well-known messages from each of the two previous hospitals. Introducing these messages against the imagery would serve to connect people with their respective former medical centers while showing the public that what they once had was not lost, only improved.
The gift shop within the main lobby was encased in large paneled windows. On these windows, we would create a simple design that would draw attention to a high-profile, key service line.
The design would feature tracings to mimic EKG outputs, leading into a branded heart icon. A statistic relating to cardiac care at North Alabama Medical Center would accompany the line design. The window vinyl would be extremely subtle and could be switched out as desired to showcase various key service lines.
The elevator lobbies on each floor were also identified as high-impact areas for messaging. It was here that we created custom graphics to communicate facts about the hospital that would establish it as a top provider of care in the region. We were especially intentional about showcasing statistics of success for guests to read on the critical care and cardiac floors. We wanted to convey a sense of competence and care that might put a visitor’s mind at ease.
Additionally, patient testimonials were highlighted throughout the hospital. These testimonials were showcased through branded graphics installed in high-traffic areas such as the cafeteria. Bringing in testimonials alongside stats and awards was intentional in an effort to humanize the claim that top-notch care could be found within the walls of the hospital.
Finally, we wanted people to know that the providers and services at North Alabama Medical Center are nationally and locally recognized in key areas of care. These areas included cardiac care, labor and delivery, emergency medicine, senior care, and more. Messaging was developed to highlight these achievements and service lines in a manner that would provide patients and families with the peace of mind that comes with being in capable hands.
As part of the hospital interior design project, we worked on a special section of the space that would be dedicated to employees. This area was adjacent to the entry doors leading in from the staff parking lot. Here, we developed graphics that connected the team with the campaign slogan, #IMFORBETTER.
This hashtag was utilized throughout the hospital launch marketing campaign and became part of a social media movement surrounding the opening of the hospital. This slogan was implemented in a large-scale installation within the space, and the graphic was signed by all hospital personnel in a pledge to stand for better care.
Upon entering the building, employees traveled down a long hallway leading to the “front-of-house” portion of the hospital. We proposed that this space serve to encourage and empower the team through custom graphic installation.
On one side of the hallway, the wall would spotlight qualities and values that are part of the NAMC employee culture. This would be implemented through a variety of vinyl or stand-off letters showcasing type, icons, and illustrations.
The other side of the wall would display a large-scale install of the words “YOU’VE GOT THIS.” On the floor, the brand message “Go Be Extraordinary” would usher the employee out into the hospital. On the way back to their cars after a shift, employees would be greeted with floor graphics stating, “You Were Extraordinary,” to remind them of the impact they make every day. These messages would be encouraging and uplifting and help maintain the culture while also acting as a “selfie wall” to encouraging social sharing.
Additionally, an installation showcasing employee headshots was allocated to the Human Resources office. This was another nod to the people who make up the organization and as a method for humanizing the hospital.
There were several other spaces within the hospital that received custom graphic treatments. All of the environmental graphics were geared toward the goal of creating a movement focused on providing better care for the entire region. And all of the graphics aligned with both the brand’s visual aesthetic and its desire to unite the region.
