In February 2016 Oticon Inc launched the company’s annual “At the Heart of It . . . We Put People First” campaign. Oticon announced that during February and March, the company will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of its Alta2 hearing devices to the American Heart Association to fund heart health education and life-saving research.
Alta2 hearing instruments from Oticon.
“Through campaigns like ‘At the Heart of It’ we aim to build awareness of hearing health as an important component of a healthy lifestyle,” said Oticon President Peer Lauritsen. ”Our goal is creating opportunities to insert hearing care and hearing loss into health-related conversations – whether they are on heart health, cognition or other health issues that spark consumer interest. By forging a link between hearing health and healthy living, we can encourage a new way of thinking about hearing and hearing loss that can be life-changing, especially for people who have been reluctant to seek professional help for their hearing loss.”
It is known that lifestyle behaviors that affect the heart also impact hearing. The Better Hearing Institute reports that a higher level of physical activity is associated with both heart health and a lower risk of hearing loss. The negative impact of smoking on the heart is long established and recent research shows that smokers are also more likely to suffer hearing loss. The omega-3 fatty acids that benefit cardiovascular health have also been linked to a lower risk of hearing loss.
Oticon will partner with hearing care professionals in small private practices and large multi-specialty clinics to ensure that the heart health and hearing care message reaches people in communities nationwide.
Oticon has developed a variety of marketing communications materials to support hearing care professionals in getting the hearing and heart health message out to their communities. Materials include tip cards, displays, wall clings, and newspaper releases. To further engage hearing care professionals in promoting a heart healthy lifestyle, Oticon is encouraging practitioners and their staff to share their own heart healthy stories to earn prizes and recognition.
The company announced that Oticon employees will also participate in heart healthy activities during February, including a special Heart Health Week, February 8 – 12 at Oticon headquarters. On February 12, representatives from the American Heart Association and a local medical center will offer workshops on heart health and conduct a series of blood pressure and other health screenings. For more information about the “At the Heart of It” campaign and the Alta2 product family, visit Oticon Heart Healthy web page.
Source: Oticon Inc
