Implementation and evaluation of Moving Matters, a media campaign promoting physical activity among African American and Hispanic women.

Background: The benefits of physical activity are well-documented. Physical activity fosters healthy growth and brain development, reduces anxiety, is vital for healthy aging, and can reduce the risk of various diseases, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and some cancers. However, these benefits are beyond reach for many people who face obstacles, such as time constraints and lack of access to opportunities for physical activity. To overcome barriers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) seeks to motivate individuals to be more physically active and to inspire community leaders and organizations to enact changes that support a more active America for all people. CDC’s Active People, Healthy Nation℠ initiative provides evidence-based tools and resources for people to act across sectors, such as transportation, education, and business, toward the goal of helping 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027.

Program background: To expand the reach and impact of Active People, Healthy Nation, CDC developed Moving Matters, an integrated, multicomponent campaign to increase awareness of the benefits of physical activity; build self-efficacy to be more physically active; and prompt more physical activity among African American and Hispanic women who are insufficiently active or inactive. Audience research informed all aspects of the campaign. The Moving Matters campaign promoted what counts as physical activity, its benefits, how to get started, and tips for overcoming barriers to being physically active, including reminding people that physical activity can be fun. The campaign’s 245 assets, which were created in English and Spanish, included paid media ads (search, display, streaming audio) and materials for partner use (social media content, photos, newsletter content, radio scripts). The content is intended to help African American and Hispanic women, including mothers aged 18–44 years, become more physically active. Paid media and partnership activities focused on women in nonrural counties in Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.

Evaluation Methods and Results: Process metrics were used to evaluate campaign performance. The estimated total number of impressions for this campaign was 42,401,248. More than 40 million impressions were generated through paid media, and over 2 million impressions were created by 72 unique partners. On average, visitors spent nearly 3 minutes on both the Spanish and English campaign websites, which is above industry standards.

Conclusions: This multicomponent communication campaign, which included paid and partner media, accumulated more than 42 million impressions. Partners garnered significant campaign reach and plan to continue to use campaign materials. The high average time on the websites suggests that those who clicked through to the campaign webpages may have found the content engaging.

Implications for research and/or practice: Audience research was an integral part in all phases of the Moving Matters campaign, which was successful in reaching the public and partners with messages and materials to promote and encourage physical activity among African American and Hispanic women. Moving Matters campaign assets can be used by public health communicators at no cost through the State and Community Health Media Center.