Exploring the impact of the ‘new’ ParticipACTION: overview and introduction of the special issue

Abstract

ParticipACTION is the Canadian physical activity communications and social marketing organization first launched in the fall of 1971 and then ceased operations in 2001. ParticipACTION was relaunched in 2007. Framed as a public health natural experiment, evidence was collected from a population-based survey of knowledge, awareness, understanding of physical activity, and physical activity levels among Canadians (individual level), and key informant surveys and interviews examining capacity, readiness and advocacy for physical activity promotion among physical activity organizations (organizational level). The purpose of this paper is to first provide an overview of some of the major initiatives undertaken by the 'new' ParticipACTION that may have contributed to any changes at these individual or organizational levels. Second, the paper sets the stage for the three empirical papers in this special series reporting follow-up results.

Awareness of ParticipACTION among Canadian adults: a seven-year cross-sectional follow-up

“…ParticipACTION is a social marketing and communications organization that has promoted physical activity in Canada for most of the past 45 years. 13,14 After a brief hiatus, it was relaunched in 2007. We found that approximately 20% of Canadians were aware of ParticipACTION unprompted and 82% were aware when prompted.…”

“…Another potential explanation for this shift in awareness is that the relaunched ParticipACTION focused much of its communication efforts, during 2007 and 2014, on the parents of inactive children. 13 Thus, the organization's cam paigns and messages may have resonated with Canadian adults who were not neces sarily seeking to change their own physical activity, but rather that of their children. To address this explanation, we adjusted for child status in our logistic regressions and still found a negative association between LTPA status and awareness.…”

“…1113 After a brief hiatus, it was relaunched in 2007 with the mandate to continue its cam paigns and to engage in capacity building and knowledge exchange. 13 From the late 1970s to the early 2000s, it enjoyed high levels of recognition among Canadians with prompted awareness of its logo or messages ranging from 77% to 80%. 14 Despite a sixyear hiatus in operations, in 2007, Canadians still reported 82% prompted awareness and 8% unprompted awareness of ParticipACTION.…”

“…Gross Rating Points) and recall surveys, many Canadians were exposed to these campaigns. 13 The ques tion remained whether all Canadians were paying attention to the efforts of ParticipACTION.…”

Perceptions of organizational capacity to promote physical activity in Canada and ParticipACTION’s influence five years after its relaunch: a qualitative study

“…Although ParticipACTION has played a leading role in mass media campaigns for physical activity since relaunch, 21,22 another strategic priority was knowledge exchange with physical activ ity organizations. 23 It could be that ParticipACTION needs to make their core activities apparent to organizations by devoting more time to sharing knowledge products with the ParticipACTION Partner Network, and showcasing current activi ties that may enhance capacity to deliver physical activity programming.…”