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Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal
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Volume 1: No. 3, July 2004

TOOLS & TECHNIQUES
VERB™ — A Social Marketing Campaign to Increase Physical Activity Among Youth

Campaign Materials

“Hip-Hop Scotch”
30-second Television Spot

VISUALS: Different shots all taking place at Mecca Park in Houston, Texas. The lead tween introduces herself as “Andrea” and explains how to play a game called “Hip-Hop Scotch.” Spot opens with a stop-motion shot of tweens dancing. Shots featured are close-ups of the kids, as well as tweens playing the game. A hip-hop beat accompanies the shots of children and the game, while the rules are explained with voice-over. Title graphics of key words and images appear throughout, such as “Hip Hop Scotch,” “Dance Moves,” and a diagram of the boxes. Additional shots include kids playing the game and dancing, and a stop-motion shot of girl dancing. The spot ends with an aerial shot of a group of kids looking up and saying the tagline, “VERB, It’s what you do,” as graphic animation depicting the logo and tagline fade in. The closing shot is a graphic with the word “VERB” being written with chalk on asphalt.
GIRL TWEEN: Andrea: Hey, I’m Andrea and we play at Mecca Park in Houston, Texas.

We’ve got lots of VERBs here. Some games we even make up. Here’s one we call Hip-Hop Scotch.
(Title Graphic — “Andrea”/“Hip-Hop Scotch”)

Andrea: It’s old school meets new school. You draw boxes, but instead of numbers you write in dance moves like spin, bounce, step, or shake. (Title Graphic — “Dance Moves”)

Andrea: Wherever it lands, that’s your thing. If it lands in the question mark, do anything. (Title Graphic — “Do anything”)

Andrea: That’s “Hip-Hop Scotch” in Houston. Every day is game day.

GIRL TWEEN: Girl Tween 2 & 3: So get out there and go play! (Title Graphic — “Go Play”)

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“Future”
60–second Television Spot

VISUALS: A father in his mid-30s returns home from work feeling very tired. When he steps into his house, he sees his two children (aged ten and seven years) playing video games in the living room. At that point, he feels very proud and happy that he has provided a comfortable environment for his children. But when he glances through a picture of himself and his parents taken during his graduation, it triggers his memory of the old days, and then we see a flash-back of him. When he was a young child, his parents always took him out to play and supported him in all kinds of physical activities. All these activities helped him to become a healthy and well–balanced person. We then we see him back in today’s life. He decides that he shouldn’t give himself any more excuses and should be like his parents in helping his children to step into a brighter future. He takes out his baseball gloves and together with his wife, takes the children out to play. The voice-over reminds the audience that physical activities can help children do better in school, boost their confidence, and help develop both their body and mind. The spot ends with a call to action telling parents and adults that they need to encourage children to have 60 minutes of physical activity every day, as the words “VERB — A Campaign To Build Healthy Children” appear on the screen.
ADULT 
VOICE–OVER:
If you want your children to step into a brighter future, encourage them to participate in more physical activities. It could help them do better in school and boost their confidence for tomorrow’s challenges!
ADULT 
VOICE–OVER:
A total of 60 minutes of physical activity every day could help your children develop both their body and mind.
SIGN–OFF: VERB™
A campaign to build healthy children
www.VERBparents.com
LOGOS: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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“Hip-Hop Scotch”
30-second Radio Spot

VOICE-OVER: Hey, check out these kids who made up their own VERB… 
VOICE-OVER: ANDREA: Hey, I'm Andrea and we play in Houston, Texas. We've got lots of VERBs here, some games we even make up. Here's one we call "Hip-Hop Scotch." You draw boxes. But instead of numbers, you write in dance moves. Like spin . . . bounce . . . or shake. Wherever it lands, that's your thing! If it lands on the question mark, do anything. That's "Hip Hop Scotch" in Houston.
VOICE-OVER: Everyday is game day, so get out there and go play.
VOICE-OVER: For more cool games, log on to VERB at VERBnow.com.

VERB. It's what you do.

Made Possible by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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The opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors’ affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.


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