HearUSA, the rapidly growing conglomerator of hearing-aid retail stores across the U.S., has hired Don Shula, the legendary former coach of the National Football League’s Miami Dolphins, to promote hearing aids among active Baby Boomers.
NFL Legend Don Shula Touts Hearing AidsIn its second-quarter financial report, HearUSA cited the costs of the Don Shula “Just Find Out” TV and promotional advertising campaign as one of the reasons it incurred a $3.4 million loss, or $0.09 per share, in its second fiscal quarter. The company has been investing in rapid growth and said it expects to hit more than $100 million in revenues in 2007 as it continues opening and acquiring retail hearing-aid centers. The company also recently announced expanded agreements with leading managed care providers, giving the hearing-aid provider access to a pool of 2.5 million insured patients. Among the providers HearUSA has agreements with is the U.S. Veteran’s Administration. That relationship is curious given the fact that the U.S. government usually looks for made-in-America suppliers, whereas 90 percent of the products HearUSA sells comes from Siemens, a German company, according to an announcement HearUSA made in January 2007. Siemens also has a significant financial interest in HearUSA, the company said in the same announcement.
