Small Steps Healthy Living Ad Campaign

Step 2

New York ad agency McCann-Erickson agrees to create the campaign pro-bono and develops a strategy based on qualitative research methods and findings.

Identifies target audience: those who are overweight but not yet obese; focus on "family builders," who can impact children as well
Goal: to "inspire behavioral change among overweight Americans"
Conducted "in-depth ethnographic one-on-one interviews" (a year before the launch)
Identified "status-quo" thinking: that eating healthy and getting regular exercise are "virtually impossible" in modern society
Identified "status-quo" desire: Americans want to relax, indulge, be sedentary
Mission: to change consumer desire to a healthier lifestyle
Using Bruce Carter's "get CYCED" program, ads must change paradigm from "exercise = pain, which we avoid" to "not exercising = pain, so let's exercise"
Using six-stage behavior change theory (transtheoretical model) to plan approach, researchers determined that the public is aware of the dangers of obesity and yet remains complacement about it (has yet to take action, see rewards from doing so, and commit to ongoing change). Why? Because people want a quick-fix in modern life, and none of the promised "quick-fix" diet plans actually work, so consumers have concluded it's impossible to get healthy.
Strategy: People need to be convinced that it's do-able! The Small Steps campaign can convince people that the little things (getting off the bus a stop early to walk) do matter and can yield big results.

(source: McCann Erickson, "Healthier America Selling Strategy," April 11, 2003)

The transtheoretical model shows the six stages that a person must pass through to achieve behavioral change.

(Sources: McCann Erickson, "Healthier America Selling Strategy," April 11, 2003 and Transtheoretical Model/ Stages of Change, James Prochaska, Ph.D.)