The 2010 Jay Chiat Awards for Strategic Excellence Winners

For Good—Gold
JWT, Toronto
"ParticipACTION"

Through renewed government funding, ParticipACTION was brought back to life after 5 years of dormancy. We needed to launch a fresh, bold brand—to inspire a nation to move more.

What we found was alarming. Canadians were in a crisis—more than 50% were considered overweight and inactive. Research also revealed that inactive people are at a greater risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, cancers, gall bladder disease, and functional limitations. And most eye-opening of all—this is the first generation of kids that may not outlive their parents.

We positioned ParticipACTION as the brand that was the voice of the problem, not of the solution. Our multi-media campaign used comedy and exaggeration to highlight the problem—that inactive kids may get old before their time. From having tea while discussing hip replacement surgery which would make them miss summer camp to feeding the pigeons because they couldn't play their Gameboy due to their arthritis—we showed kids truly getting old before their time.

We've fuelled renewed media awareness and debate to start a movement to move more. ParticipACTION is off to a good start.

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