Synopsis: A multimedia campaign informing youth about the health effects of consuming too many sugary drinks.

Objective: Create a multi-platform campaign that uses humor to raise awareness about the direct connection between consuming too many sugary drinks and an increased risk for obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

Target Audience: Teenagers and young adults with a particular focus on Black and Latino communities.

Background: Over the past 20 years, obesity levels have doubled in the United States. In Boston, 25% of students in Boston Public Schools are obese. Numerous studies have linked this increase in obesity to increased consumption of sugary drinks.

Sugary drinks such as soda, sport drinks, sweetened tea, coffee drinks and energy drinks, are loaded with “empty,” or non-nutritional calories that can be damaging to your health.

The communities hit hardest by obesity and Type 2 diabetes are primarily Black and Latino.

The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) in conjunction with it’s Youth Media Council, a group of Boston youth recruited by the BPHC to help raise the awareness of the negative health effects associated with sugar-sweetened beverages, developed a youth-targeted campaign to raise awareness about the the pernicious effects of drinking too much sugar.

My Role: Creative director for the campaign, project manager for the website development, and project manager for the print development. I produced, directed, and edited the television spot. For the roll out I managed the digital communications strategy and implementation along and I trafficked all of the spots to the broadcast outlets.

The Team: Ann Scales, Communications Director. Lisa Costanzo, Creative Director. Christian Nielson, Assistant Communications Director/Project Manager. Pelenge Doiley, Project Manager.

Awards: Fatsmack was awarded a 2012 Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation by the Public Relations Society of America for its outstanding use of public relations tactics.

Related Work: Fatsmack Web Teaser

Television

This 30 second television ad was developed from an idea generated by the Youth Media Council.



Crew: David Kruta, Director of Photography. Sergio Herrera, Colorist. William Wirasnik, Sound Designer. Eric Boyle, Key Grip. Richard Beausoleil, Best Boy Grip. Courtney Perkins, Assistant Camera. Dave Kudrowitz, Digital Information Technician. Bre Welch, Make-up.

Distribution: Boston’s CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX affiliates. Comcast and RCN, limited to Boston subscribers.

Radio

[audio:http://www.yanikruizramon.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/FatSlap_Radio_B_v2.mp3|titles=Fatsmack 15 second Spot]
Crew: William Wirasnik, Sound Design.

Voiceover Talent: Myles

Print

The print portion of the campaign consisted of: interior cards on subway trains and buses, station signs at Subway stops, advertisements on the sides of buses, posters for community partners, and business card fliers.

Crew: Cory Stierley, Photographer. Bre Welch, Make-up. Cedric Ruiz, Graphic Design and Retouching. The Youth Media Council, Production Assistants.

Talent: Samantha, Kimberly, Myles, and Herby.

Digital

The digital portion of the campaign consisted of a dynamic website with a blog updated by the Youth Media Council along with a branded Facebook page.
In addition, we ran Facebook and online banner ads. We disseminated the campaign heavily through the Health Commission’s Facebook page and Twitter account.

Crew: Cedric Ruiz, Web and Graphic Design.