When a Surgeon General's report shed light on the nation's high level of physical inactivity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention used the findings as a national hook to reposition physical activity as fun and family-oriented.
Highlighting the fact that 60% of adults do not receive the recommended amount of regular physical activity, the CDC blanketed state health departments with a social marketing campaign that emphasized moderate exercise.
The campaign, developed by Prospect Associates in Rockville, Md., is educating state health departments about a unique target audience and introducing health professionals to the relatively new concept of social marketing says Deborah Lurie, account group head of Prospect, a healthcare communication firm.
Launched last July, the effort first defined for state department who the primary target is and how social marketing will appeal to them. The primary audience is comprised of:
- "contemplators" - those who think about becoming moderately active; and
- "preparers" - those who plan moderate activity and may have tried it previously.
Repositioning Physical Activity
Essentially, the ongoing campaign relies on states to reposition the concept of fitness by finding creative ways to motivate contemplators and preparers to get active.
Based on consumer research from two focus groups, the firm selected a campaign theme: "Ready. Set. It's Everywhere You Go." The creative, features cartoon-like illustrations and conveys a fun, family-oriented image of physical activity.
The state health departments also were armed with a host of social marketing tools.
Prospect schooled department representatives about consumer orientation and audience segmentation. Additionally, it arranged media training and taught the departments to plan local events.
With a budget of $200,000, Prospect developed marketing kits aimed at getting each state to develop local activities that help the target audience achieve 30 minutes of moderate activity a day, five or more days a week.
In addition to outlining the psychographics of the target audience, the customizable kits provide tips for:
- Hosting a state or local event that involves people in fun activities that simultaneously motivates them to incorporate physical activity into their daily routine, such as work site programs and parks and recreation events;
- Obtaining news coverage on the importance of regular, moderate activity; and
- Getting local media placement for the radio, print and TV PSAs.
The campaign is hitting a national health nerve. The original 2,500 kits already have been depleted and 2,500 more were ordered, according to Nicole Kerr, CDC's health communications specialist.
Despite its popularity, the concept is taking awhile to catch on for a major CDC health effort in May, says Terri Barber, CDC's physical activity interventionist, hired to provide campaign consultation to state health coordinators.
Getting State Buy-In
The biggest barrier is getting each state to use the kit for promoting May as "Physical Activity Month." So far, 35 out of the 50 states are using the kit for May promotions. To get all of the states involved, Barber emphasizes how the campaign slogan, "It's Everywhere You Go," can be incorporated into existing local efforts.
Another campaign roadblock has been garnering state funding for the PSAs. Many states are too financially strapped to pay for placing the ads in radio, print and especially TV.
Despite these barriers, a number of states have been creative with event planning and development, says Kerr. For example:
- Texas is working with statewide zoos to promote physical activity with mile-marker signage throughout zoos that highlight walking.
- Kansas is targeting daycare centers to plant community gardens, involving children, teachers and parents; and
- New Orleans is getting weather forecasters to promote daily physical activity tips based on the weather for the day. (PA, Deborah G. Lurie, Leslie Brenowitz, 301/468-6555; CDC; Nicole Kerr; Terri Barber, 770/488-5577)
'Contemplators' Profiled
When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched its "Ready. Set. It's Everywhere You Go." campaign, last July, it had to educate states on the campaign's target audiences: "contemplators" and "preparers." The audience is comprised of employed, married women between 18 and 45, according to CDC's consumer research.
This audience also:
- believes the chief benefit of improving health habits is to increase energy, while the primary barrier is time away from family and friends;
- lacks confidence in their ability to be regularly physically active;
- does not plan when, where and how long to be physically active; and
- does not see themselves as physically fit, rugged or athletic.
Source: Prospect Associates/CDC