08-17-2006

To help hearing care professionals introduce Oticon DELTA to a new generation of users, Oticon Inc, Somerset, NJ, wanted a marketing campaign that would convey a fresh, hip new attitude about hearing care solutions. 

Enter rock icon Huey Lewis, founding member of the Grammy Award-winning Huey Lewis and the News, whose own positive experience with DELTA made him a natural and enthusiastic spokesperson for the new hearing instrument. The resulting campaign features a range of practice marketing materials from posters and brochures to postcards and a desktop display, all created to communicate DELTA’s breakthrough design and state-of-the art technology.

“This is the first time Oticon has enlisted a celebrity spokesperson for our products,” says Oticon President Peer Lauritsen. “Early feedback from media coverage tells us that Huey and his DELTAs resonate with people of all ages—prompting interest in DELTA and re-energizing the hearing solutions market.”

Just as DELTA is “not your grandfather’s hearing aid,” the DELTA marketing materials have a contemporary edge that piques interest, prompts questions, and opens the door to new users who may have hesitated to consider hearing solutions as well as current users who are looking for the most up-to-date instruments.  Oticon’s goal is to enable hearing care professionals to capitalize on the celebrity appeal of Lewis to begin a dialogue with current and prospective clients that helps them see the benefits DELTA can bring to their lives. 

Because of the overwhelming success of a publicity launch for DELTA featuring Lewis, Oticon has included a series of newspaper ads and a press release for practitioners to use in their own markets. More than 40 television news segments featuring Lewis and his experience with DELTA aired in markets across the country. Oticon also hosted events with Lewis during his recent national concert tour. Press coverage of Lewis meeting with local practitioners further builds awareness among potential users in local markets.

According to Lauritsen, “Huey told us that DELTA gave him the ‘edge’ he needed. We believe that Huey will help us give our professional partners the ‘edge’ they need to reach people with hearing loss in their markets.”

[SOURCE: Oticon Inc, August 2006]