Mass Media Strategy

Mass Media

STRATEGY 1

Government health agencies, in collaboration with national non-profit health organizations, should launch a national physical activity campaign to educate individuals about effective behavioral strategies for increasing physical activity. (MM-1)

TACTICS:

Identify and test evidence-based media messages and campaign strategies with the greatest reach and likelihood of influencing population physical activity levels. (MM-1.1)

Objective: By 2020, conduct a literature review to identify effective evidence-based mass media messages and campaign strategies to promote population physical activity. (MM-1.1.1)

Advocate for federal funding to support a national physical activity campaign. (MM-1.2)

Objective: By 2020, the National Physical Activity Plan Alliance and other organizations will organize partners to educate legislators on the importance of a national physical activity campaign. (MM-1.2.1)

STRATEGY 2
Physical activity professionals should partner with communications experts to develop mass communication messages and a standardized “brand” for promoting physical activity that is consistent with current federal physical activity guidelines. (MM-2)

TACTICS:

Engage public health agencies and key stakeholders at all levels and across all societal sectors in developing a standardized “brand” for promoting physical activity. (MM-2.1)

Objective: By 2020, the National Physical Activity Plan Alliance and other organizations will initiate and coordinate on an ongoing basis an effort to develop a standardized “brand” for promotion of physical activity. (MM-2.1.1)

Conduct market research to identify the most effective mass communication messages and standardized brand for promoting physical activity. (MM-2.2)

Objective:By 2020, a market research study on effective mass communication messages for promoting physical activity will have been completed. (MM-2.2.1)

Develop and disseminate a toolkit to support extensive application of the messages and standardized brand for promoting physical activity at the state and local levels. (MM-2.3)

Objective: By 2020, the National Physical Activity Plan Alliance and other organizations will have developed and disseminated at the state and local levels a toolkit to support extensive application of the standardized “brand” for promoting physical activity. (MM-2.3.1)

STRATEGY 3

Professionals in physical activity and public health should inform mass media professionals about the effects of physical activity on health and on effective strategies for increasing physical activity at the individual and community levels. (MM-3)

TACTICS:

Educate media professionals about the documented effects of physical activity on prevention and treatment of obesity and non-communicable diseases. (MM-3.1)

Objective: By 2020, develop a set of physical activity fact sheets for use by mass media professionals. (MM-3.1.1)

Reframe media professionals’ understanding of the impact of physical activity on public health, relative to the effects of other hygienic behaviors (e.g., avoidance of tobacco use, healthy eating). (MM-3.2)

Objective: By 2020, disseminate a set of physical activity fact sheets designed to educate media professionals. (MM-3.2.1)

Design materials for informing media professionals regarding effective strategies for increasing physical activity at the individual and community levels. (MM-3.3)

Objective: By 2020, evaluate effectiveness of physical activity facts sheets in reframing media professionals’ understanding of the impact of physical activity on public health. (MM-3.3.1)

STRATEGY 4

Professionals in physical activity and public health should optimize application of social media and emerging technologies in media campaigns to promote physical activity. (MM-4)

TACTICS:

Support public health agencies and key stakeholders at all levels to incorporate social media techniques in physical activity promotion programs. (MM-4.1)

Objective: By 2020, a clearinghouse of evidence-based mass media materials for physical activity promotion programs, including social media techniques, will be developed and made freely accessible to all. (MM-4.1.1)

Support public health agencies and key stakeholders at all levels to apply emerging technologies (e.g., biometry) in physical activity promotion programs. (MM-4.2)

Objective: By 2020, a clearinghouse of evidence-based mass media materials, including emerging technologies, will be developed and made freely accessible to all. (MM-4.2.1)