Change4Life - 'Be food smart' ad break takeover

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In England, it is now accepted that most people are overweight or obese. The published statistics suggest 61.3% of adults and 30% of children aged between 2 and 15 are technically overweight. Aside from the health risks, which cost the NHS more than £5 billion a year, excess weight can also make it more difficult for people to find and keep work, and it can affect self-esteem and mental health. It is no surprise then, that the Government has been unwavering in their continued investment in their healthy eating campaign Change4Life, which aims to improve the dietary behaviours of families and adults, and encourage them to get healthy and ‘Be Food Smart.’ This continued investment was against a backdrop of dramatic cuts in all other Government investment in communications.

Entering their third year of working on the Change4Life campaign, 23red wanted to create something that began to demonstrate the stature and support this initiative is accumulating. They wanted an initiative that was full circle; to make people think about healthy eating throughout the day and to make it more accessible. Inspired by the idea healthy food can be quick, easy and affordable to make, they put together the first ever healthy ad takeover. Selecting partners like Asda, Uncle Ben’s, Quorn, Cravendale Milk and the Co-op, all wrapped in an introduction by M&C Saatchi’s Change4Life family figures, they produced a powerful ad break topped off with a free give away meal mixer, to help families plan healthier meals throughout the week.

However it is perhaps the data support system created by Lateral Group that enabled not only a connection with a mass audience, but one that was personally tailored to an individual’s requirement. Lateral have designed, built and host an interactive database that triggers communications to families across the country. A simple questionnaire filled out by users, which then allows the database to deliver direct mail packs and email updates specifically aimed at the personalised action plan of each member of the family, but still views them as a single family unit.

Many marketers extol the virtues of integrated marketing, but campaigns that deliver the mass audience message, involve trade partners and flow down to intelligently personalised communication, are few and far between. This is one example where the private sector may learn a trick or two from the Public sector, in how to have the vision and delivery system working in concert, to produce a profoundly powerful campaign. The targets set for the first three months of this initiative were delivered in just three weeks.   
 

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