New Media and the VERB™ Campaign
Tools To Motivate Tweens To Be Physically Active
Abstract
The VERB™ Campaign used new media as part of a marketing
strategy that surrounded children aged 9-13 (tweens) with messages
that portrayed physical activity as a cool way to have fun
with friends. The new media component of VERB consisted of three
elements. First, Websites were used extensively. VERBnow.com
was the primary Web site where tweens could engage with "virtual
"sidekicks," find places to be active in their area, record their
physical activity, view tutorials from sports celebrities, and get
ideas about making up games. The Websites of media partners used
banner ads on their sites to drive traffic to the VERBnow Website.
Second, VERB used cell phone technology to send text messages
encouraging tweens to be physically active that began with an
advertising campaign that prompted tweens to type "8372" into a
cell phone key pad (spelling VERB). Third, VERB Yellowball incorporated
digital technology with a separate Web site that encouraged
tweens to play with one of the 500,000 Yellowballs distributed
throughout the U. S., pass the ball to another tween, and then blog
about how they had played with the ball. Interactive projections of
Yellowballs also appeared on the floors of many shopping malls.
