SMPA Capstone

Digital MyPlate: Empowering Healthy Eating HabitsAmanda EamichSchool of Media and Public AffairsAugust 4, 2011

Amanda Eamich l SMPA Capstone

Obesity Trends in America


Food Guide Pyramid (1992)


MyPyramid (2005)


MyPlate (2011)

• Simple and straightforward visual cue

• Recommended proportions of major food groups

• Easily personalized to diet, culture and preferences


Health Communications and MyPlate

•Web Communications Strategy•Health and Behavior Change

▫Social marketing and a Transmedia Approach

•Strategic alliances and partners•Empower consumers through an

educational, fun and engaging online strategy

•Information -> Action


Health Behavior Campaigns

•Ecological model▫Communication in a Social Context

•Social marketing – Health as a Product

•Call to action and Self-efficacy

•Individual within the Community


Five-A-Day For Better Health

•General health promotion and encouragement

•Low sense of urgency, concrete benefits

•Social Networks critical to adoption•Hands-on experience and personalization•Quick tips for a busy lifestyle

•Simplify and incentivize healthy eating habits


Anti-Smoking Campaigns

• Direct, relevant and engaging

• Confront social pressure

• Empower through education

• For youth, by youth

• Relevant, educational web-based social environment


VERB: it’s what you do.

•Multi-channel, multi-year campaign for tweens

•Phased approach for behavior change▫Awareness -> Initiate -> Reinforce and

Encourage -> Maintain•Interactive, game-oriented design•Broadcast/online communication inspires

offline activity


MyPlate Communication Strategy

• Engagement - General public, teens and nutritional gatekeepers

• Empowerment - Skill- and confidence-building

• Entertainment


Setting the stage

•61 % of adults online seek health-related information▫Older teens, lower-income households

more likely to go online•¾ Teens (12 – 17) own and use cell

phones▫Average 50 text messages per day▫11% send e-mail daily▫¼ teens online will “fan” a Facebook page


ChooseMyPlate.gov

• Social engagement

• Incentive to participate

• Online community

• Recipes and more



Web-based tactics• Blogger

roundtables

• Twitter outreach and engagement

• School-based learning

• Journal and track healthy eating


For teens: MyPlate, My Choice•Social modeling for a healthier, more

fulfilling life with friends

•Gaming and challenges

•Virtual Worlds


Nutritional Gatekeepers

•Individual choices become family habits

•Tips for busy lifestyles•Recipes, cooking techniques, coupons•Social integration online and through

strategic partners


Amanda EamichSchool of Media and Public Affairs

Capstone Defense

August 4, 2011

SMPA Capstone

Education

online teens

health communications

social engagementincentive

social environment

digital myplate

email daily teens

educational web

public affairsaugust