Ad Council Takes Aim at Childhood Obesity
Ad Council, Department of Health and Human Services, National Basketball Association, Boys & Girls Clubs of America team up on contest.
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/12/2008 6:48:00 AM
The Ad Council teamed up with the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Basketball Association and Boys & Girls Clubs of America on a contest to encourage kids to exercise more and eat better.
Childhood obesity is threatening to overtake cancer as the nation's No. 1 health problem.
Kids will be asked to submit videos to YouTube showing how "small steps" toward a healthier lifestyle can make a big difference.
Submissions are now being accepted. The top 10 videos in terms of viewership on YouTube will be eligible for one $2,500 cash grand prize, with four runner-up prizes good for $500 in NBA merchandise. The contest ends Oct. 28.
The Ad Council created a promotional video and will place Web banners on kid-targeted Web sites. The effort is part of its ongoing obesity-prevention campaign in cooperation with HHS.
Kids can enter online.
The Ad Council coordinates donated advertising creative and ad time and space for public-service campaigns on a wide variety of subjects ("Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires," the “Crash Test Dummies,” "Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk").
