ParticipACTION Encourages Canadians to Get Active to Poop, Sleep and Love Better

ParticipACTION has just launched a new national campaign as part of a platform for Canadians to embrace that all the things in your life that improve when you get active. This is part of a long-term movement to help shift attitudes and perceptions beyond traditional benefits of physical activity, such as weight loss.

Approximately 87% of Canadians agree they need to be more physically active. But over half of Canadians say that the daily grind gets in the way. It seems many try to check off the boxes of daily life first, and then look to add activity.

“We needed to flip the equation,” said Elio Antunes, President and CEO of ParticipACTION. “We knew we had a chance to show Canadians that if they incorporated physical activity into their day, so many aspects of their life could improve.”

In a recent ParticipACTION survey, Canadians ranked their energy level, quality of sleep and stress management as top aspects of their life they would want to improve if they had the chance. The new platform allows ParticipACTION to showcase to Canadians how physical activity can help them improve all aspects of their lives - from thinking, mood and relationships to sleeping, ageing and even sex.

The national campaign includes digital and TV ads, billboards, transit shelters, social media content, and radio. Each TV spot opens up on a colourful scene with a person doing a physical activity such as swimming, dancing, judo and even hacky sack. The spots then go on to show those same people experiencing how physical activity has made an aspect of their life ‘Better’ - showcasing them either sleeping, unwinding in a bath, bonding with a partner over pottery making or enjoying their time in a bathroom stall. The campaign also features one surprising billboard with the words Poop Better spelled out in large type, with other headlines like Think Better, Love Better and Unwind Better to showcase the range of ‘Betters’ one can achieve with physical activity.

“We wanted to bring a fresh approach to communication around physical activity to refresh the image and message of ParticipACTION. We had an opportunity to bring more meaning to the lives of Canadians by showing big, bold unexpected visuals rather than the traditional visuals usually shown in relation to being physically active,” says Zak Mroueh, Zulu’s Chief Creative Officer and Founder.

Messaging also includes science-based practical tips and information, with further initiatives including a digital engagement tool, and in the spring of 2019, a community challenge that will encourage Canadians to become more active together. The national campaign will run until March 2019 and was developed in partnership with Cossette Media.