FEBRUARY 2003 THE LATEST WORD TM This is the first 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… VERBVERBSCOOPSCOOP VERBVERBOMETEROMETER VERBVERBCONNECTIONSCONNECTIONS From primetime TV stars to cartoon IMPACT TO DATE Considering the barrage of toy and characters, there sure are a lot of people 2,247,192 video game ads children saw through­ talking about VERB! The Cartoon Network, out the month of January, we were CONTESTS the Disney Channel, the WB Network, and 2,884 able to break through the clutter and CBS all donated talent and media time for effectively deliver our message. We VERB-branded PSAs. TOURS impressively reached 91% of our 3,600 tween target an average of nine The Cartoon Network SWEEPSTAKES times. Parents were also bombarded 5,OOO PSA, which started in with commercials telling them what to October, features popular animated characters ONLINE purchase for their children, yet the 2,235,708 from The Power Puff Girls, Courage the VERB message gave them something Cowardly Dog, and Ed, Edd & Eddy. VERB has touched over 2 million else to think about. We reached 60% children and parents to date of Moms more than twice a month. Since November, the Disney Channel has been volun­ while the radio PSA ran on national networks VERB Internet exposure has delivered teering its new breakaway star, Kim Possible, including the American Urban Networks and 158 million targeted impressions and her superpowers in another PSA. Radio Disney. The Bow Wow PSAs garnered through the first five months of the 61,880,370 impressions—WOW! campaign, exceeding the guaranteed Friends on the WB Network, amount by 4%. The number of tweens including David Gallagher from accessing www.VERBnow.com via the 7th Heaven and Alexis Bledel from In its third month, the Gruner & Jahr’s Fit AOL banner ads is nearly three times Gilmore Girls, are also joining in on the fun. Family Fit Kids program continues to track the industry standard. four different families’ progress in becoming CBS created primetime more active and reporting on them in Child, PSAs using Catherine Bell Family Circle, Fitness, and Parents magazines. VERB is out and about. We from JAG and the sports star Deion Sanders As an extension of the Gruner & Jahr program, have incurred an outstanding to speak to Mom and Dad about VERB. the online site www.fitfamilyfitkids.com has 30,906,848 impressions for the been created to provide an interactive month of January through our public experience for the program’s loyal followers. relations efforts. Major print place­ In reaching the African American audience, ments included Las Vegas Review, the rapper, Bow Wow, promoted the When the program concludes in May, three out Cleveland Daily Banner, and The VERB message in television and radio of four women with kids aged 12 and younger Cincinnati Enquirer. Ethnic print P SAs. The television PSA appeared twice a will have been exposed to this program an placements were found in Korea week for eleven weeks on local television, average of five times each—quite impressive! Daily and La Opinion. Green Bay: Local children’s festivals, Festival Chicano, and the Houston Fun VERBVERBOUTREACHOUTREACH Ringling Bros. Circus, and the Punt, Pass Run where we reached 3,000 tweens & Kick Competition VERB street teams have taken to our local Los Angeles: The Harvest Festival, markets interacting with tweens at key venues Greenville: The Aaron Carter Concert Peace Day, KTLA Kids Festival, and and events. and Reidville Elementary Fall Festival Hollywood Carnival Columbus: Chillers Friday Night Meltdown/ Family Skate, The Harvest, The Arts Festival, Houston: The Arts & Music Festival, Miami: The Miami Heat, House of Terror, “First Night,” and Columbus’ New Year’s Eve Enrique, Safe Street Night, Haunted Urban Latin Music Festival, and the Miami Celebration Woods, Children's Festival, Asian Festival, Holiday Village VERBVERBONON THETHE MOVE MOVE FASTFASTFORWARDFORWARD Kudos to the local ambassadors for further promoting VERB within the local markets! Ambassador Scott Murray of Green Bay developed his own VERB activity board with the Keep your eyes peeled for the VERB- local Oneida Tribe and has seen an increase in physical activity among participating members. worthy opportunities: Ambassador Wendy Acosta’s youth group is being honored with a Chase Youth Award for promoting VERB through in-school efforts and serving as role models to tweens. Hot, new TV spots debuting Olympic Throughout the year Nickelodeon has been invading our nine markets speed skater Apolo with a live staged version of the hit show Wild & Crazy Kids complete with Ohno in “Race” and games, stunts, and an ultimate team challenge. The Spokane and Kansas City tour the NBAs Orlando stops attracted 3,600 tweens in October! The tour will travel to the remaining local Magic’s Tracy McGrady markets this spring. in “Bounce.” Stay tuned to the Gruner & Jahr When children were out watching the new Harry Potter sequel during the blockbuster program for the fourth month of updates winter movie season, Screenvision promoted the VERB message and the Reel on the families’ progress. Rookies contest on over 4,000 movie screens nationwide. The contest encouraged tweens to develop a cool movie idea using their creative t alents. In March, three lucky In February, the Wild & Crazy Kids tour grand prize winners and their families will receive an all-expense-paid trip to New York picks up again in Miami (2/12), with the City to view an exhibit-style premiere of their work and a family film premiere. help of local ambassador Ralph Leon and Miami Heat star Alonzo Mourning. Ever wish you had the means to build ramps for that skate park or buy supplies In Green Bay (2/20), football star Nate for that park cleanup? Well, Primedia’s Most VERBable Player Award Wayne helps out on the tour. We’ll be sure will supply grants allowing kids to do just that! More than 500 students to keep you updated with the other cities. have entered the contest with their big ideas in hopes of winning grants. We’ll be sure to share the ideas with you once they are collected. The tracking study is underway with two months of data, and the early assess­ ments show that tweens love the In December, Shape and Redbook targeted Moms with customized VERB messages. VERB ads! We will issue a full report 1,642 Shape readers entered the contest writing about how they have been positive role in February to keep you updated! models to tweens—this is an awesome response rate! The winner will be announced in the April issue. Redbook hosted a sweepstakes for VERB parents, which was promoted online at www.rbclick.com. The sweeps asked readers to write in describing a child’s healthy This publication is produced by the lifestyle. Looking forward to those results too! “I have seen other VERB ads. It’s always kids. Kids have their own special things they are good at… “It’s like what you are All of the VERB things make me want to VERBVERBCHATTERCHATTER doing; it doesn’t matter but “Pick keep going. VERB supports me. you always have to try. You any sport and do it. Pick a sport you like and Be a kid, live, exercise.” “It’s good, trying to can always do verbs start playing it and never get people to go out and and play…” get out of it.” “It makes me feel good try more stuff. Go out and because I see the people that play and be more active. Do more things. It’s like a accomplish big things and it tells movement!” me to boost my confidence up to do big things.” The word around town about The Fit Family Fit Kids VERB has been positive program has stirred quite a among tweens and parents. buzz among parents. We have received feedback The children’s quotes gathered from them inquiring how from focus groups exemplify how they “could get VERB” VERB has been able to connect with in their communities. tweens. We also have seen this effect Additionally, Moms have in our contest and promotions. One expressed how enthusiastic their entrant in the YM contest concluded children have been in responding her essay by saying, “Life is so full to VERB: “Kids can’t wait for the of verbs, and I am using them all!” next VERB ad.” .