The Skinny on Fitness Promos

A major health insurance company’s ad campaign encourages people to take the stairs instead of the escalator, park farther away and walk around the block at lunch time. It echoes a movement driven by the health care industry to get people moving and ultimately lower the prevalence of ailments such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease.

Insurance companies have a vested interest in people’s welfare, but don’t we all? If you’re an employer, you know first-hand the expense of heath insurance — not to mention lost work due to sick employees. The obesity epidemic in the United States has caused organizations of all sizes and makeup to take seriously their employees’ and their community’s health.

“Healthy living and wellness have become a big focus with all corporate customers,” relays Marketing Manager Lindsay Hoylman with Leed’s in New Kensington, Pa. She cites the American Heart Association, which reports that at least 25 percent of the health care costs incurred by working adults can be attributed to modifiable health risks, such as poor diet and lack of exercise.

Jennifer Grigorian, director of advertising and marketing for Sweda Co. in Monrovia, Calif., affirms this sentiment. “As a society we have become more health conscious over the last five years,” she says. “More and more advertisements and other types of media stress the importance of taking care of your body and your health the best you can.”

The promotional market has evolved with the social consciousness, Grigorian adds, as the growth in health and wellness products is no longer limited to health care organizations or gyms.

“Employers of all sizes, local businesses sponsoring youth sports teams, schools and churches are all being brought into the fitness and wellness market by creative distributors,” reports Jim Espinoza, co-founder and president of Shelbyville, Tenn.-based Medi-Facts, a division of Shepenco. As health and weight issues of the population at large — and particularly of youth — receive significant attention, businesses are seizing the opportunity to take action, make positive changes and position themselves on the right side of the issue. “Also, employers are becoming more aware of the impact of employee wellness on their bottom lines,” Espinoza adds.

Don’t forget the PR benefits of a healthy-living promotion, either. Sponsoring fitness products or campaigns