Appendix F: Integrated Pan-Canadian Healthy Living Strategy 2005 – Public information – social marketing strategic plan

Appendix F: Public Information – Social Marketing Strategic Plan

Initiative #1: Healthy Living & Sport Participation Advertising Campaign

Objective

The overall objective of the national advertising campaign is to motivate Canadians to eat more healthily, be more physically active and to participate in sport, in addition to communicating the importance of integrating these activities into their daily lives. The campaign will demonstrate how making small steps can lead to significant improvements to Canadians’ health.

Rationale:

Research has shown that while some effort has been made on many levels to encourage Canadians to eat healthily and engage in regular physical activity, an increasing number of Canadians are overweight and obese.

Target Audience

• Primary target audience: General population -- Parents aged 25-45 years of age with children aged 2-12 years, with a particular emphasis on women; Aboriginal peoples – Parents and people caring for children 2-12 years;
• Secondary target audience: General population -- Relevant intermediaries i.e. NGOs, private sector, provincial/territorial governments, health professionals, and sport and community partners; Aboriginal peoples – Children aged 8-12 years, community leaders, teachers and health professionals.

Timeline:

The launch of the campaign is expected in Fall 2005/Winter 2006.

Evaluation:

Tracking surveys will be conducted at regular intervals in addition to the Advertising Campaign Evaluation Tool (ACET). Other public opinion research activities preceding the actual evaluation will include qualitative research to test creative products developed for the advertising campaign as well as the web site and associated tools.

Initiative #2: Website and 1 800 O Canada

The Website and the 1 800 O Canada provide the target audience with ways to access useful information about healthy living tools. On the Healthy Living Website, there will be a link to provincial 1 800 lines to provide more local information.

Objective:

• Provide the target audience with a one-stop shop that provides solutions to incorporate healthy eating, physical activity and sport participation into their busy lives.
• Encourage users to return to the Web site and use regularly the information and tools provided.
• Fulfill the strategic goals and mandate of the Healthy Living and Sport Participation Advertising Campaign.

Rationale:

The Website will be the main place to go to get reliable, credible and up-to-date information on Healthy Living. The Web provides the user with the flexibility they need to consult tips and information to incorporate healthy living habits in their daily life.

Information Architecture

• Web site will focus on “what, where and how” to achieve healthy living.
• Information Architecture will be structured by setting – at home, at school, at work and in your community – in order to integrate as much as possible the three main components which are sport participation, healthy eating and physical activity.
• Other sections of Web site: Campaign Information, Government Initiatives, Success Stories, The basics of healthy living, Interactive Area and Health Professionals.

Interactive Features

Specific interactive features will be designed for the launch. The site will be built in a phased approach where some content will be developed for the First Phase and additional content will be developed for the second phase to ensure novelty and get repeat visits to the site.

Timeline:

The launch is expected in Fall 2005/Winter 2006 to coincide with the advertising campaign.

Initiative #3: Strategic Alliances Plan

Objective

Canadians are faced with an enormous amount of information, including conflicting messages, on how to make healthy choices. Forging strategic alliances with the private sector, NGOs, and the provinces/territories, will assist by offering consistent information from a variety of trusted sources.

Rationale:

While an advertising and communications campaign can be designed and implemented at the national level, the majority of tools and resources that encourage healthy eating, physical activity and sport participation are located at the local level. Therefore, national initiatives need to be complemented by more localized initiatives, tools and resources attained through the leverage of existing programs and stakeholder activities.

Timeline:

Opportunities for strategic alliances are already being identified, with a view to establishing alliances over the course of 2005-2006.

Initiative #4: Strategic Alliances Toolkit

Objective

Consideration is being given to the development of a Healthy Living Strategic Alliance Toolkit. The toolkit would assist participating organizations from all sectors in creating common ties between federal initiatives and their own programs or messages. In particular, it would address the need for common tools to be used for individual self-assessment and to facilitate behaviour and broader social change.

Rationale:

Health Canada, the PHAC, Canadian Heritage and INAC will be developing a variety of materials and tools as part of its Healthy Living and Sport Participation plan. These resources will complement the advertising campaign and could be distributed through provincial, territorial and municipal delivery networks. For example, municipal recreation facilities and community centres may be a good channel for the distribution of printed materials. As well, information, ideas and resources developed by one government could be shared with others and adapted to suit different populations and can be used more widely to serve Canadians.

Implementation:

Possible materials for inclusions in the toolkit include:

• Key messages on healthy eating, physical activity and sport participation
• Research facts on Canadians and healthy eating, physical activity, sport participation, obesity and related illness
• Body Mass Index Chart
• Information on reading and interpreting Nutrition Labelling
• Combined Guide to Healthy Eating and Physical Activity
• Portion size information
• Information on how to measure levels of physical activity. (e.g. Pedometers)
• Information on recommended levels and types of physical activity
• Health Canada guidelines on strategic alliances and use of information and federal government identifiers.

The main distribution channel for the toolkit will likely be the Health Canada, the PHAC, Canadian Heritage, and/or Canadian Health Network web sites, although limited print copies will also be used. Partners will be encouraged to contribute by providing expertise and advice on related issues – such as mental health and physical activity. Once a healthy living and sport participation web site is developed links to partner’s sites on these issues may be beneficial. The items contained in the tool kit will be made available in a way that allows for partners to manipulate the tools so that they are suited to unique audiences.

Timeline:

The Strategic Alliances Toolkit is to be developed over the course of 2005-2006 with a view to beginning implementation early in 2006-2007.