Chris Bevolo launches ServingOverSelling to push health systems to curb promotional marketing

Industry veteran Chris Bevolo has launched ServingOverSelling, a new movement urging health systems to move promotional marketing dollars toward patient care, access and community needs. The effort debuted at a health strategy conference and already has signatories backing its pledge.

Why it matters: - Health systems collectively spend roughly $10 billion a year on marketing. - Bevolo says much of that spending is ineffective self-promotion that could be redirected to patients and communities. - The movement frames marketing dollars as a potential source of funding for care experience, access and public health efforts.

What happened: - Chris Bevolo launched ServingOverSelling one year after retiring from a 25-year health system marketing career. - The initiative debuted during the 2026 Society for Health Care Strategy & Market Development Connections Annual Conference. - The movement already has signatories to its pledge calling on health system marketing leaders to reallocate promotional marketing spend. - More information is available at the movement's website.

The details: - ServingOverSelling encourages health systems to move promotional marketing spend into patient experience, access, public health and community engagement. - The movement also includes a private online community for health system marketers. - The initiative provides case studies showing how promotional marketing funds could be used differently. - Bevolo points to market-share stagnation as evidence that promotional marketing often has limited impact. - In the Twin Cities, he says the leading health system held a 30% market share in 2005 and 31% in 2024. - Matt Gove, partner at Gove Impact and a former health system chief marketing officer, said health system brands are built by clinical care and care experience, not self-promotion.

Between the lines: - The campaign is a challenge to a long-running assumption in health care that more promotional spending improves competitive position. - Bevolo is arguing that health systems should measure marketing through patient value, not brand visibility alone. - The effort also reflects growing pressure on health systems to justify every discretionary dollar amid affordability concerns.

What's next: - ServingOverSelling is seeking more health system leaders to sign the pledge and redirect promotional budgets. - Bevolo is positioning the movement as a continuing forum through its online community and supporting case studies. - The movement is likely to use examples of redirected spending to show how health systems can apply the model in practice.

The bottom line: - ServingOverSelling asks health systems to treat promotional marketing as money that should be serving patients, not advertising the organization. - The movement's core bet is that better care and better access will do more for reputation than self-promotion.