JULY 2003

THE LATEST WORD

TM

This is the fifth installment in a series of VERB newsletters providing the latest and greatest on how the VERB campaign is getting kids off the couch and into life. Read on… VERBSCOOP VERBOMETER VERBCONNECTIONS Phase 1 of the VERB campaign has At the height of the summer, when wrapped up and Phase 2 is revving up with IMPACT 8,451,422 tweens had plenty of free time, VERB many exciting programs. Here’s a quick TO DATE reached 79% of our tween target, an CONTESTS snapshot of what’s coming down the pike on 4,480 average of 7.8 times in July. all fronts of the campaign! SWEEPSTAKES 31,731 • Wow! VERB was featured in five • The public relations plan will focus around national Internet placements, including three core audiences– tweens, parents and ADDED VALUE CNN.com, USA Today, Washington 623,500 influencers. The plan will motivate tweens, Post, Foxnews.com and Salon.com. educate parents, and have a more aggressive TOURS/EVENTS 2,587,470 outreach to influencers. • Through VERB’s public relations ONLINE initiatives, VERB has appeared on more Our Event/Marketing initiatives will focus • 5,204,241 than 125 television stations garnering on providing tweens with opportunities and VERB has touched over 8 million more than 8 hours of television time. access to physically inspiring events and children and parents to date activities. The next activity is planned for • June 21st marked the Longest Day of October 26th, when the clocks are turned • VERB and AOL Time Warner will continue Play. VERB activities in Miami, Houston, back and kids have an extra hour for fun. to motivate and activate tweens with a multi­ L.A. and Kansas City generated 14 level program featuring an activity tracker, • The Disney Channel will promote VERB media placements and more than 5 giving tweens a through three custom PSAs. The first PSA, million media impressions. Key VERB measurement Fox Sports featuring , will placements included the mechanism to record their activation progress. Net, Miami Herald.com, Balita Media launch in September during Houston Chronicle the key back-to-school time period. • Gruner & Jahr will introduce four new and the . families for Fit Family Fit Kids in October. • Kids’ WB! will create a VERB PSA In July, VERBnow.com gave tweens The Web site has been revamped and will • featuring the characters Ozzy & Drix, which ideas and tools to stay active all summer have exciting new features including videos on will launch in October. long with a printable checklist of activities, demand, a fitness calculator, polls & quizzes, a the VERB Activity Finder and our archive • VERB is partnering with Nickelodeon as sweepstakes and a chat room! of Games and Tips. a sponsor of its “Let’s Just Play” (LJP) • In-school programs include media partner campaign, which will HispanicAD.com programs such as Make Every Move Count • Earlier this spring, include TV, print, and 2003 Media Planning - a competition among schools to accumulate hosted the on-line opportunities. VERB will also have a Awards and record the most steps- with Channel . Garcia 360/Media Rare won presence in select cities hosting Nick’s LJP One. This year, VERB Street Teams will also the award for the year's best Hispanic Across America grassroots tour that have a larger presence in schools to help Out of Home Media Plan for the VERB celebrates “playing” by involving thousands spread the word about getting active. campaign. Way to go, VERB! of kids in a giant relay race.

• Houston, LA, & Miami: More than • New York: Fun Sports Festival hosted VERBOUTREACH 315,000 Hispanic tweens and 16,500+ by World Journal at Kissena Corridor • Columbus, Greenville, Los Angeles, teachers were exposed to VERB through Park in Flushing, NY included the & Miami:VERB is making a splash with a a program designed especially for them. presence of approximately 600 tweens. cool pool program, plastering eye-catching A four-page booklet, encouraging The tweens received goodie bags filled floor graphics and participation in physical activity, was with VERB premiums and enjoyed banner ads at distributed to Hispanic students in ESL participating in activities such as kung fu, local public pools classes. Almost 90% of the educators who soccer and stepping, plus many more. from mid-July to responded to questions about the There were also stage performances September in the effectiveness of the program rated the value demonstrating dances and stepping by four markets. of the program as very good or excellent! local performers. VERBVERBONON THETHE MOVEMOVE FASTFASTFORWARDFORWARD Teen People's Break for the Beach, sponsored in part by VERB, kicked off YM will shake a groove June 14th in Myrtle Beach, SC. Stops included Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Pt. with VERB’s “Move It to Pleasant, NJ; Wildwood, NJ; and Jones Beach, NY, where tweens played Groove It! Contest,” getting mini-volleyball or limbo courtesy of VERB! VERB premiums were tweens to dance, boogie, shake, step distributed to those who got their VERB on! and find their own moves. A contest and chance to win a dance party for SI for Kids and VERB bring the best of the best in one lucky participant’s entire school will the “No Limits” Road Trip 2003. Touring 12 amusement parks be tied-in. for 24 shows across the country, Cartoon Network eight top athletes will spend the day will air the “What’s demonstrating their award-winning Your VERB Challenge” beginning this tricks and skills. These Gravity August, featuring a call to action spot Games and X-Games pro athletes encouraging viewers to submit their own are expected to draw thousands of VERB videos to win a chance to appear park attendees. on-air in follow-up spots. One of two key sponsors, VERB will have a high profile presence on The final touches for the Spanish TV autograph cards, truck wraps, event and radio spots are under way! These signage and on the Internet. spots, targeting Hispanic tweens and parents specifically, will launch in MTV is touring Washington, DC; Miami; Cleveland; Kansas City; Spokane; August! ¡Ponte las pilas! Greenville; Green Bay; Houston; and LA beginning July 8th with MTV MADE participants and coaches. Shane, Diana, Michael, and Isaac, along with MTV DJ A new and improved VERBnow.com Flex, will hit nine markets to give YMCA tweens the opportunity to learn will launch in the fall. New features new basketball skills and talk to the MADE participants to learn how they include the VERB Tracker, an on-line reached their goals! More than 2,500 tweens are registered to participate. Participants will diary for keeping track of daily activities. receive a tattoo and a custom-made VERB, YMCA and MTV shirt and bag.

“Everyday you can go out and have fun. “It's telling you to do stuff– VERBCHATTER You can have fun any day you want. not to be lazy… You don't have to go far to have fun. To get involved in games.” Further testimonial You can just have fun with your friends.” that was gleaned from “The message is our latest advertising “VERB makes me want to go out... it's fun to do sports. focus groups… makes me want to go to the park. You don't have to be the These verbatims are It gives you ideas to do something leader to do sports.” proof that both male like bike riding.” and female tweens are responding to VERB’s new activation “Whether you win or lose, you're message. having fun. It shows how sports can be an integral part of life.”

Find out more about VERB on the expanded partnership site at cdc.gov/verb.

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