GEM NO. 435

Lessons from VERB: A Case for Branding inNutrition Education

Robert McKinnon, MA,*President,YELLOWBRICKROADCommunications, New York, NY

(J Nutr Educ Behav. 2007;39:S53-S54)

*Address for correspondence: Robert McKinnon,MA, YELLOWBRICKROAD, 501 SeminaryRow, Suite B3, New York, NY 10027; Tel.:(212) 566-2288; Fax: (212) 566-2288;E-mail: bmckinnon@yellowbr.comdoi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2006.08.012

INTRODUCTION

The VERB campaign was launched in2002 by the Department of Healthand Human Services (HHS) and theCenters for Disease Control and Pre-vention (CDC) as a mass media cam-paign based on social marketing prin-ciples and designed to increasephysical activity levels among chil-dren 9 to 13 years of age (“tweens”).1

Messages were designed to empowertweens to become more physically ac-tive by communicating benefitsunique to different segments of theaudience (i.e., fun for younger chil-dren, accessibility for children fromfamilies in lower socioeconomic lev-els, increased sociability for girls). Ul-timately, the campaign encouragedtweens to “find their verb” and dem-onstrated that physical activity was anintegral and cool part of all tweens’lives. This message was embodied bythe tag line “VERB: It’s what you do.”

The campaign achieved signifi-cant success based on awareness goalsand level of impact. Awareness goalsof 40% were surpassed within the first6 months of the campaign and soaredto over 70% within the first year. Al-though behavior change was not ex-pected during the first phase, signifi-cant increases were seen (�20% inreported free-time activity versusbaseline) in activity levels among sev-eral of the more at-risk segments dur-ing this time.2 Furthermore, year two

results show a substantial positive im-

pact across the entire population ofchildren targeted by the campaign. Infact, the more often children were ex-posed to VERB messages, the morephysically active they were.3

VERB has not only changed thelives of more than 17 million childrenreached by the campaign, but alsochanged the way public health mes-sages are communicated. The successof the VERB campaign can be attrib-uted to significant marketing differ-ences versus traditional public healthcampaigns.

DISCUSSION

VERB was the benefactor of an inno-vative congressional appropriation ap-proach that allowed the CDC and itscontractors to act as any company inthe private sector with a comparablebudget would when marketing to the“tween” audience, starting with buy-ing media time rather than dependingon public service announcements. Agrowing list of public health mediacampaigns, designed to effect behav-ior change, have used this approach togreat advantage.2 The VERB cam-paign was able to succeed by employ-ing the best practices of private sectorkids marketing. Four strategies werecritical to the success of the campaign.

● VERB is first and foremost a brand.The campaign applies similar mar-keting strategies and tactics thatbrands like Nike or Nickelodeonuse to create cool, fun relationshipswith its audience.

● The brand offered something be-yond rational benefits to create anemotional affinity between the prod-uct (physical activity) and the tar-get. A connection with childrenwas created that empowered themto be physically active, presumablynot because they have to but be-cause they love to.

● For kids by kids was at the heart of

all brand activities. Every aspect ofthe campaign was made stronger bytalking with and listening to tweensduring the development of thebrand, before and after creating themessages, and in determining thechannels through which they wouldbe most receptive to hearing fromdevelopers of the campaign.

● Be where the opportunity is. It is notsufficient to reach children throughtraditional media alone. It was crit-ical to engage children at all keyplaces and times when they mightbe receptive to the brand, especiallywhen they were prone to being in-active (i.e., the after school periodfrom 3 PM to 6 PM). By identifyingthese strategically defined “Pointsof Passivity,” the opportunities wereexpanded when VERB should beinteracting with tweens.

IMPLICATIONS FORRESEARCH AND PRACTICE

These paid media campaigns shouldserve as the model for future cam-paigns designed to affect public healthon a national level. If public healthcampaigns are expected to affect atti-tudes and behaviors, then it is criticalthat they be allowed to competeequally in the marketplace of mes-sages and ideas.

The authors believe many impor-tant lessons can be learned fromVERB that should be consideredwhen developing public health cam-paigns focused on diet and nutrition.

● Create brands that address barriers. Acritical reason why the VERB brandresonated so well with tweens is be-cause barriers that were preventingthem from being physically activewere clearly identified and under-stood. Different populations havedifferent challenges, and many of

these barriers were addressed

S54 McKinnon/LESSONS FROM VERB: A CASE FOR BRANDING IN NUTRITION EDUCATION

through messaging and partner-ships. For example, it was critical todemonstrate for children fromlower socioeconomic levels thatphysical activity could be accessi-ble, regardless of circumstance. Assuch, communications and pro-grams were created that gave chil-dren ideas on how to engage inphysical activity in their ownhomes with little investment.

● Use persuasion beyond education. Toooften, public health communicationtactics use a rational, cognitive ap-proach to effect behavior change. Inthe formative research, the investiga-tors found positive messaging that in-spires to be a more persuasive route tolong-term behavior change. Emotionis king in the world of brands. Thismay be a difficult premise for a fieldtraditionally steeped in impartingknowledge and scientific facts.

● Employ the best of the best. It is im-portant to employ experts in thefield of marketing. Tap into themost creative people and allowthem to do what they do best. Pub-lic health communicators mustreach out from the comforts of tra-ditional public health communica-tion strategies and bring in the bestmarketing talent in the country tohelp create the brand and itsmessages.

● Partner with the “competition.” VERBplanners wrestled with the quandaryof needing to partner with companieswho were facilitating the physical in-

activity of tweens, namely media

companies. However, we acknowl-edged early that these companieswere critical to VERB’s success andthe companies’ role was leveraged togreat benefit. Partnerships can poten-tially lead to innovative strategies fordisseminating healthful nutritionmessages and influencing positive be-havior change.

● Maximize impact through pooled in-vestments. It is estimated that morethan 300 different federally fundedcampaigns exist, with average bud-gets of $2 million or less. Each cam-paign may be having a difficult timemaking an impact, but collectively,they represent a significant invest-ment in our public health.4 Unfor-tunately, the true potential of thisinvestment has not been harnessed.A tremendous opportunity exists topool resources and better coordi-nate messages. In so doing, econo-mies of scale would be realized thatwould create a national frameworkfrom which to build powerful publichealth brands. The first step mustbe to determine where the properleadership of a centralized strategywould reside and ensure that it is aswell informed in the areas of brand-ing and marketing as the most suc-cessful companies in the privatesector. One potential model worthyof consideration is the one em-ployed in the United Kingdom,where a Central Office of Informa-tion (COI) presides over allgovernment-funded campaigns, al-

lowing not only for improved effi-

ciencies but also for greater sharingof best practices. This methodwould include providing consistentstandards of evaluation that wouldhelp take the politics out of pub-lic health campaigns and ensure thecontinuation of campaigns provento be successful in affecting atti-tudes and effecting behaviorchange.

Although a strong case has been madefor the continuation of the VERBcampaign, funding is set to expire inSeptember 2006, in accordance withits original 5-year appropriation. Andwhereas there are efforts underway todetermine how this brand may con-tinue to make tweens throughout thiscountry more physically active, itslasting legacy may not only be thechanges we hope to see among thisgeneration of children, but thechanges it also inspires in future pub-lic health campaigns.

REFERENCES

1. Wong F, Huhman M, Heitzler C, et al.VERB—a social marketing campaign to in-crease physical activity among youth. PrevChronic Dis. 2004;1:A10.

2. Huhman M, Potter LD, Wong FL, BanspachSW, Duke JC, Heitzler CD. Effects of a massmedia campaign to increase physical activityamong children: year-1 results of the VERBcampaign. Pediatrics. 2005;116:e277-284.

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC). Highlights of Year Two EvaluationFindings Youth Media Campaign, March 21,2005 (Updated April 8, 2005).

4. Edwards, J. Uncle Sam Ups Ante for Re-cruiting Effort. Adweek Magazine. November

29, 2004.