Here I am going to present some of the brand, strategy and content that I developed for the CMON GT^ Campaign implemented for ARPASS and SPARC in 2006/2007.  The full report evaluating the campaign can be read here:

CMONG GT – Final Evaluation Report 2007

CMONG GT – Final Evaluation Presentation 2007

 

Executive Summary

CMON GT^ (www.getup.co.nz) engages 13 to 18 year olds in a physical activity campaign, utilising text and web based technology as well as the offline and the television media channels. CMON GT^ is based around an inter-school competition where students participate to gain points in the form of a unique game card by being physically active. Student activity points contribute to their schools combined points with the campaign seeking to find Auckland’s most Active Secondary School. Through the website, students are able to form small groups of up to 10 players and effectively compete against each other. CMON GT^ runs over 10 weeks from Monday June 4th to Friday 10th August.

The following results detail the effectiveness of the 2007 pilot of CMON GT^ in the Auckland region.

Student Profile

• Most students are 12 to 15 years.

• More females students participated.

• 69% cite NZ as their birth place.

• Most students have been at school 1 plus years.

• Participants have positive feelings about school.

• Most students enjoy hanging out with friends and doing sports.

• Participants have positive feelings about being part of school.

• Most belong to sports teams.

• Most students spend 3 plus hours per week in sports teams.

Behavioural Change (Over 10 Weeks from Beginning to End of Campaign)

• Increased importance of physical activity/sport in student lives.

• Most students engage in physical activity/sport because its fun but an increase in peer and competitive behaviour and park and sports field related physical activity/sport.

• In 7 day period, increase in frequency: 5 times/week physical activity/sport (Heart Rate Up).

• Increase in weekly 31-40 minute intensity.

• Increase in weekly team/group physical activity/sport.

• Increase in weekly, 60 minutes/per day physical activity/sport.

• 20 percent increase in physical activity as the mode to get to and from school with corresponding increase in time taken to get to school.

• High weekly PE class attendance.

• Increase in play physical activity/sport at morning break and lunch.

• Increase in after school physical activity/sport for 4 and 5 days per week both before and after dinner time.

• Increase in weekend physical activity/sport. 2 to 3 hours and 4 to 5 hours frequency.

• Increase in out of school sports teams participation – 5 plus times per week.

• Main reasons for not engaging in sports clubs; cost, time, friends, transport, responsibilities, parents. Decrease in time and friends as reasons for not to engage.

Come On. Get Up!

Key Success Factors

• A campaign strategy based on a research-based model of Tetradic channels of stimulus and response, that is, web, mobile, TV and offline.

• Building a youth oriented brand that; (1) builds interactive relationships and (2) is based on a brand alliance/co-branding structure.

• A campaign brand and strategy that enhances sponsors community programs (e.g., Warriors).

• A campaign strategy based on the working commitment of schools and students as stakeholders and owners of the brand.

• An implementation framework that is flexible and works with existing physical activity and sports programs in schools.

• A message that encompasses the fun of all physical activities and sports.

Key Lessons

• A greater degree of integration with the existing physical activity and sports programs in schools.

• More time and resources devoted to gain the support of stakeholders and their community.

• More resources to reward stakeholders.

• Brand alliance/co-brand sponsors rather than supporters.

Key Recommendations

• A national campaign.

• Enhanced time, resources and integration within schools and their community.

• Greater emphasis on interactivity; Web 2.0 and the mobile channel.

• Sponsorship.

Total Game Points won (30 plus minutes = 1 episode):

• 3.5 million total points.

• 132595 episodes of activity (30 plus).

• Approximately 15 hours of activity per participating student.

Schools and potential students signed up to participate:

• 31 (39 percent) of Auckland’s mainstream schools.

• Representing 40000 students (43 percent of students).

The mobile and the web channel:

• Nearly 20000 website visits to http://www.getup.co.nz.

• The mobile channel; 97% of points won for physical activity were via the mobile channel.

Actual active student participants in CMON GT^:

• Up to 78% campaign penetration within school relative to school roll.

• 4336 students (11% of potential students represented).

• Student participants from 73 schools.

Top 3 Winning Schools:

• Whangaparoa College – 47 % of students signed up by roll – Joanne White and Team.

• St Dominics College – 78 % of students signed up by roll – Samantha Townsley and Team.

• Orewa College – 23 % of students signed up by roll – Edith Miller and Team.

Nintendo Wii Winners from:

• Lynfield College

• Clover Park Middle School

• Parnell College

• Massey High School

• Penrose High School

• Pukekohe High School

• Alfriston High School

• Whangaparoa College

• Mt Roskill Grammar

• St Dominics College

Recommendations

National Extension

It is forecast that in a National roll-out, based on MOE statistics for 2006 that show that there were 270,787 students, we propose the following scenario:

• If a national campaign was implemented based on the overall penetration in 2007 we would have attracted approximately 30,000 active participant students (11 percent).

• If a national campaign was implemented based on the overall average penetration in 2007 of the top 10 schools in the campaign we would have attracted approximately 84,000 active participant students (31 percent).

Marketing

• The campaign has stretch. The current version has the basic elements. However, given greater resources, important new additions to the campaign can be developed to enhance interactivity; for example Web 2.0 strategy and PXT/Video messaging on the mobile.

• Sponsors instead of supporters. Greater resources are required to attract and provide incentives to students and schools to participate.

• Extended roadshow to more schools. For example, Spacifix on the road for 10 weeks.

• Greater level of sports celebrity involvement paying emphasis on the school holidays and school holidays events.

• Extension of GT BOY/GRL. This may cover a TV Program with 15 minute coverage of the campaign on a weekly basis.

• To continue the momentum, it important to continue building from the existing work and partners. For example, this may also help to extend the work already done on the back-end of the campaign (web and mobile systems). This back-end process extension could be applied to a Push Play Interactive Campaign and a Primary Schools (Web Only) Campaign with a New Brand.

• Based on discussions with our partners, we believe that there is the potential to extended the brand into the international market. Youth physical activity is a world wide issue. Currently, there does not appear to be any brand specifically targeted to the youth market that leverages the mobile, web, TV and offline space.

Schools Support

• Extended period of time and resources to get schools commitment. 6 to 7 months – schools support and setup. This process should start in October 2007 to implement in 2008.

• Greater attention given to multi-level school commitment from the Principal down. We found that schools in the Auckland campaign that were successful had full staff commitment. Staff also benefit from being seen to be physical active as a way of motivating their students.

• Schools alumni and community involvement so that the schools have greater support right throughout the 10 week period. It also creates greater community ownership of the activity objective.

• More information for schools on how to play (e.g., DVD). Despite the simplicity of the campaign, some schools applied the rule too stringently while others were too lax.

Integration

• Integration into schools programs, for example:

1. NCEA integration.

2. Schools house competition.

3. Sportfit program.

4. Active schools program.