Summer 2003 Issue
VERB Campaign Gets Kids Off the Couch, Into Action
Successful CDC youth media campaign leads to impressive results
Ask almost any American child between the ages of 9 and 13 if they’ve seen or heard of VERB, and they’ll tell you all about it. “VERB. It’s What You Do.” is the successful CDC youth media campaign that’s propelling young people off the couch and into action by promoting the idea that positive activity is fun and cool.
The VERB brand associates high-energy verbs such as “dance,” “dive,” “swing,” “leap,” “play,” “hike,” and “swim” with the essence of cool, encouraging kids to “find their verb” by trying new things and discovering fun, positive activities.
Developed in response to a charge from Congress to create a healthy movement among youth through a paid media campaign, VERB aims to increase the proportion of children and adolescents who are physically active on a regular basis - which may ultimately help reverse the epidemic of obesity among young people. The number of overweight children tripled from 1980 to 1999, and Type 2 diabetes linked to excess weight is increasing dramatically among adolescents. Obesity and overweight have also been linked to increased risks of cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes among adults.
The campaign encourages kids to become active and involved and to make regular physical activity and healthy behaviors a lifetime pursuit. VERB also suggests better alternatives to the multitude of sedentary entertainment choices available to kids today, such as video games, Internet surfing and television.
Going to market
The five-year multicultural VERB campaign, which is nearing conclusion of its first year of activity, is the most extensive, fully integrated youth marketing campaign ever produced by CDC. With a budget of $125 million, plus an additional $75 million in custom programming and events donated from key media partners, VERB leverages the strengths of partners including Viacom, Disney, Primedia and AOL to reach the generation of 9- to 13-year-olds, better known as “tweens.”
“This age group is beginning to seek more independence from their parents and make their own decisions, but at the same time, they are still receptive to their parents’ influence,” says Mike Greenwell, associate director for communications in CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion. “The lifestyle habits they establish at this young age can affect their health as adults and for the rest of their lives.”
Adds Greenwell, “Not only is this the first time CDC has ever had adequate funds to launch a national, paid media campaign, but we took the same kind of multi-tiered approach that a toy or food company would use when launching a new product. The campaign began with subtle branding and has progressively become more specific. We’re now preparing the second phase, which we refer to as ‘activation.’ We’ve built awareness, and kids are excited about the campaign. Now we’re telling them, ‘Here’s how you can be more active.’”
During the VERB brand launch in July 2002, television ads piqued tweens’ interest with animated verb-covered kids. Subsequent ads featured animated kids transforming into real kids being active, as well as ads featuring celebrities famous for a particular verb, such as tennis star James Blake demonstrating “swing.” Print and radio ads capture the excitement children feel when discovering their verb.
Children who see and hear the ads are encouraged to visit www.VERBnow.com, which offers interactive, fun ways to get active. Another web site, www.VERBparents.com, is a resource for busy parents looking for ways to encourage physical activities among tweens and discourage unhealthy, risky behaviors.
Impressive results
The campaign is achieving strong, measurable results. An independent market tracking study shows that the VERB campaign has reached nearly 80 percent awareness among U.S. tweens. Pending continued congressional funding, VERB will continue through 2006, ultimately reaching more than 90 percent of all U.S. tweens.
“The awareness that we’ve built so far is due in large part to our generous first-year budget,” says Greenwell. “In the second year, $68 million was appropriated. For the third year, we’ve received $51 million. We’re seeking greater support from the private sector to expand the reach of this important, successful youth media campaign.”
The CDC Foundation plays an important role in brokering partnerships between CDC and private sector groups to support educational campaigns that help disseminate vital health information. One such partnership, Promoting Better Health for Youth through Physical Activities, funded by the MetLife Foundation, supports the development of guides for parents and school personnel and administrators outlining practical strategies for encouraging young people to participate in physical activity and sports programs at home and in schools.
-Lisa Splitlog