How was Cleveland Clinic able to preserve its commitment to its mission while at the same time address the challenges of marketing a complex organization? One example of a successful branding initiative is the one developed by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio. The outcome of its efforts demonstrates the potential of branding for healthcare organizations and illustrates how a small outpatient practice can be transformed into a national brand.

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation was founded in 1921 by four veterans of World War I medical units and is now a leading American healthcare organization. From its start, the clinic was highly regarded for the quality of its specialty care, basic science achievements, and medical research. The clinic’s initial marketing approach, typical of healthcare organizations in the premarketing era, targeted the physician audience in an effort to increase patient referrals. Promotional activities consisted of developing and distributing fundraising brochures and disseminating press releases to the media