Hoag
Stepping onto Hoag’s campus in Orange County, I immediately sensed the hospital’s deep-rooted legacy. Patients and staff genuinely revered Hoag, but its visuals told a different story—each clinic and department had its own look, creating a fragmented experience. My team at Blulab was brought in to reinvigorate this healthcare system’s brand strategy, establishing a cohesive identity that would resonate with both long-time patients and new audiences.
New competitors were entering the region, and Hoag’s leadership understood they had to boost loyalty before anyone looked elsewhere. Multiple stakeholders—from department heads to legal teams—needed to align on one unifying vision. During the first year, I focused on building “One Hoag,” an overarching brand identity that captured the hospital’s warmth, advanced medical capabilities, and 70-year history. I removed the outdated swoosh and introduced a bold orange dot we called the “Whole Orange,” creating a clean, modern wordmark—“Hoag.”—that positioned the hospital as the confident answer to any healthcare question. An extensive style guide detailed everything from color palettes to photography standards, ensuring a consistent look that would reinforce trust and credibility across all touchpoints. By listening to department-specific concerns and incorporating their feedback, I transformed wary leaders into genuine brand ambassadors.
After the rebrand launched, I led an internal team of four at Blulab for the following two years, collaborating closely with Hoag’s own marketing department to implement the newly minted identity across a range of campaigns. I produced everything from social media ads and billboard designs to digital videos and large-scale outdoor activations, consistently weaving in that signature orange dot and clear, modern typography. Thanks to our agile workflow and real-time stakeholder input, I adapted quickly to healthcare regulations and ensured our materials remained both engaging and compliant.
The impact was immediate. In just one year, I generated 375,000,000 impressions, 86,000,000 video views, and 328,000 clicks to landing pages while launching four highly successful ad campaigns and creating three brand videos. I even orchestrated a media takeover of SoFi Stadium during the NFL’s Crucial Catch Initiative, showcasing Hoag’s dedication to community wellness on a massive stage. Departments occasionally had to scale back promotions to avoid overbooking—an unequivocal testament to the power of effective healthcare marketing.
Throughout this process, I refined my approach to strategic brand architecture in a complex sector where compliance and patient trust are paramount. By aligning stakeholders, constructing a cohesive brand identity, and iterating based on real-time data, I helped turn a fragmented healthcare network into a leading choice for patients and providers alike. My work involved conceptualizing and executing a system-wide identity, guiding a four-person creative team, coordinating with marketing, legal, and executive divisions, and using high-impact metrics to demonstrate a compelling return on investment. Today, Hoag’s revitalized brand lights up its campuses and communications, reminding everyone—patients and staff alike—that they are part of One Hoag. This engagement exemplifies my capacity to spearhead large-scale brand transformations, blending design excellence with effective leadership to drive measurable business outcomes.