Great Story Telling: When it Makes a Difference

We’ve all had good clients and clients that were not quite the right fit. I believe that a good client is made up of not only the chemistry of the teams but also the sense of partnership in the bigger picture. There is nothing better for an agency than having a passion and mission for telling a client’s story. I’ve been working with GroundFloor Media’s (GFM) health care practice for several years and work with many amazing organizations that are fighting the good fight against obesity. It has been and will continue to be a great story to tell because the risks are enormous and consequences deadly. This issue makes pitching traditional and nontraditional media exciting because I truly believe this story needs to be told and because telling it will hopefully make a difference, start a dialogue, educate one more person, or create/support a movement.

And speaking of movements, I can’t believe today is the anniversary of The First Lady’s groundbreaking Let’s Move! Campaign, focused on childhood obesity. We’ve seen the movement impact schools and communities across the nation and give GFM’s health care clients including LiveWell Colorado, the Colorado Health Foundation (TCHF) and The Children’s Hospital support on the local levels. Nationally, we’ve seen celebrity chefs and Walmart get their game on too. Now there is a challenge sweeping the quick service restaurant industry for healthier kids meal options (see resource link and article below) and thankfully our client Qdoba Mexican Grill has always offered healthy options. Every industry should choose to be positive players in fighting this growing epidemic.

On the local front, we need to remember that more than a quarter of Colorado’s children are overweight or obese. I’d like to call out the Colorado organizations that are renewing their own commitment and collaborative efforts to bring healthy eating and active living strategies to children and families across the state. A group of Colorado organizations including LiveWell Colorado and TCHF, Kaiser Permanente and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), are partnering in an effort stop the obesity epidemic in Colorado. These organizations have engaged hundreds of Colorado communities, schools, families and children to make policy, environmental and behavior changes that address obesity. Every time an article, broadcast segment or blog comes out about these programs we have a sense of pride knowing that just possibly the needle is moving.

I’d also like to highlight one of our non-profit clients that often sits behind-the-scenes that is making big differences in our communities through supporting community gardens, agriburbia, food banks and horticulture programs across the state, Colorado Garden Show, Inc. They do this from proceeds generated from the annual Colorado Garden & Home Show (coming up Feb. 12 – 20, 2011) and the Colorado Fall Home Show. For some this may be an unlikely partner in the fight against obesity.

Last week, the organization awarded a $100,000 grant to Westminster High School and a $25,000 grant to Concerts for Kids. The Westminster High School grant specifically supports the construction of a greenhouse for the school’s horticulture program. The Concerts for Kids grant will support two of the organization’s projects – a community garden and greenhouse at the Serenity Learning Center (for children with autism) in Centennial, Colo., and an organic community vegetable garden at one Denver Public Schools elementary school.

Do you have a client that you are passionate about telling their story? What are you most proud of working on this week?


Resource Articles:
• Eatocrazy on CNN “Walmart Joins Michelle Obamas Let’s Move Campaign”
• Kids Health Eating Focus of Let’s Move Campaign in QSR Magazine “Time to Move”
• LiveWell Colorado in the news
• Colorado Garden Show, Inc. “Garden Show grants $100,000 to Westy Horticulture Program”