Brand Campaign Launched

A new branding campaign that positions physical therapists as the experts in human motion was launched Tuesday night at the Combined Sections Meeting. As motion experts, physical therapists will be positioned as specialists who can help improve mobility and quality of life without the expense and pain of surgery or side effects of prescription medication. The tagline will be: "Move Forward. Physical Therapy Brings Motion To Life."

"The focus on movement is very appropriate because this is a movement "to have our members learn and live the brand and to build on and expand the existing, overwhelmingly positive perceptions of physical therapists in the minds of consumers and other health care professionals," said APTA President R Scott Ward, PT, PhD.

Recognizing that a brand is about the people who live it every day, a brand personality was developed that combines the "Sage," the person who helps people act smarter and feel more confident and the "Hero," the one who helps people perform at their upper limits.

APTA has begun educating members through its "brand champions" -- physical therapists who are leaders and specially trained advocates of the brand.

A key element of the branding initiative was the development of a newly-branded consumer Web site, www.moveforwardpt.com and a member-only Web site on living the brand, www.apta.org/brandbeat.

More information can be found in the February 10 issue of Physical Therapy Brand News.