This Canadian Health PSA Wants People to Fall In with the Active Crowd

Growing up, we’re always warned about the dangers of peer pressure and falling in with a bad crowd. In a satirical twist on PSA tropes, ParticipACTION’s latest campaign is demonstrating that some groups are worth falling into.

Using the tagline 'Fall in with an active crowd.,' the campaign shows the health and social benefits of joining different exercise, sport and activity-based groups by parodying familiar peer pressure tropes. The launch TV spot features a distraught woman talking about how her husband hasn’t been the same ever since joining the Mall Walkers, lamenting how he started dressing like them and worrying he might even be 'doing stairs.' The video ends with the woman warning, “once you become a Mall Walker, there’s no way out.”

Recent research conducted by ParticipACTION revealed a prevalent misperception: most people underestimate how many of those around them - their friends, family members and neighbours - are getting enough physical activity. This new campaign aims to correct this misperception by showcasing the physical activity that is happening all around us and positioning movement as the “in thing” that people want to be a part of.

“Building on previous education campaigns that focused on increasing awareness of the benefits of physical activity, Fall in with an active crowd aims to shift social norms related to physical activity," said Rebecca Jones, senior director of marketing and communications at ParticipACTION. “Falling in with an active crowd can create a sense of belonging and connection with others, and help people make physical activity a part of their everyday life.”

Studies have shown it’s not for a lack of desire to get active, it’s that many find getting started to be intimidating, but it’s much easier and more fun when you have like-minded people to get active with. Fall in with an active crowd, a campaign developed by long time AOR Zulu Alpha Kilo, showcases how physical activity is taking hold of those closer to them than they might think.

The national campaign includes Connected TV and linear broadcast spots, with placements on YouTube and Meta. In addition, the campaign also features social videos where someone is troubled by their partner becoming 'one of those Pilates people' or a friend being 'recruited by yogis'. In other executions, a group of jovial senior road pacers with the phrase “We run these streets.” plays at the faux toughness of these groups.

“We wanted to bring a fresh approach to communication around physical activity for ParticipACTION. We had an opportunity to bring more meaning to the lives of Canadians by injecting humour and opening up the aperture for what physical activity can look like for Canadians,” says Jenny Glover, chief creative officer at Zulu Alpha Kilo.

The national campaign will run until March 2024 and was developed in partnership with M&K Media with consultation and French-adapt by The French Shop.