Healthcare Video Marketing Strategy: Building Consumer Trust Despite Industry Scepticism

This striking disparity between reach and credibility is the main focus of a report from EMARKETER and StackAdapt. They surveyed more than 1,000 American adults to discover how consumers perceive healthcare marketing and where they believe it falls short.

A similar trend is shown in the Edelman Trust Barometer survey – in 15 countries worldwide, more than half of people believe that leaders in business, government and media deliberately misrepresent health information.

The Trust Problem in the Health Sector

Healthcare marketing has broad reach but faces deep mistrust. Nearly 87% of respondents saw health-related advertising in the past year, most commonly on television, social media and CTV platforms.

However, reaching people doesn’t mean connecting with them. More than a third of people don’t trust healthcare advertisements, and nearly 60% of Americans support banning pharmaceutical advertising on television.

Years of criticism directed at healthcare companies – that they prioritise profits over patients – have sown deep mistrust. In such an atmosphere, traditional advertising strategies simply don’t work.

The Edelman Trust Barometer results show that people place the greatest trust in their doctors and close ones – doctors enjoy up to 82% trust, whilst government, media, and pharmaceutical companies lag behind.

Source: EMARKETER

Betting on Authenticity Pays Off

People expect advertisements for healthcare products to match the gravity of their decisions. What works? Facts, a measured tone, and credible communicators – especially doctors or experts. According to research from the American market:

• 45.1% of consumers would trust an advertisement more if it avoided exaggerated claims
• 40.6% value when a brand has demonstrable credibility
• 38.8% want to see greater transparency regarding risks, side effects and actual results

Relying on celebrities and influencers can be counterproductive in this case. Famous faces don’t work in this sector – more than half of respondents stated that their presence in advertising would rather discourage them.

The Edelman findings show that for many consumers, empathy, personal experiences and simply explained facts are more important than formal academic titles. Authenticity is therefore just as essential as professional background.

It is more advantageous to focus on openness, expert information and evidence-based content.

Healthcare Video Marketing Strategy: Key Channel for Building Trust

CTV (Connected TV) is becoming a crucial channel for building trust with healthcare brands. Traditional television still has the widest reach, but CTV is quickly catching up. And it offers not only higher engagement but also better targeting.

In 2025, American adults will spend only 16 minutes less daily with CTV than with traditional television – four years ago, the difference was 96 minutes.

Of those already advertising through CTV, up to 69% consider this format the most important for meeting their objectives. CTV enables the delivery of precise and trustworthy video content in a safe media environment. Whilst data from across the Atlantic may not exactly reflect the European context, consumer behaviour in the USA often indicates trends that will eventually manifest in our market as well.

Young people (especially Gen Z) respond to short, visually appealing videos – particularly if they concern topics such as mental health or equality in access to healthcare. Moreover, Edelman points out that young people today more often trust peers and online communities than traditional institutions.

The Interest is There. Just Activate It Properly

Despite mistrust, consumers are active when it comes to their health. More than 64% of respondents took some action after viewing healthcare advertising – most commonly seeking more information online or consulting with a doctor.

Younger age groups are also significantly price-sensitive. More than half of Gen Z compares prices after seeing an advertisement.

For brands, this means that relevance and price transparency can directly influence consumer behaviour.

What Does This Mean for Marketers?

For brands and agencies operating in the health, wellness and wellbeing sector, the message is clear:

1. Without trust, even the largest budget is pointless
2. Video – especially CTV – is a key channel for brand building
3. Strong brands don’t persuade; they educate

Successful campaigns will resemble professional education rather than traditional advertising – built on facts, broadcast through trustworthy channels and attuned to the values of the target group. And simultaneously, they will take into account the need for empathy, authenticity and community that today’s consumers increasingly demand.