''Obesity is Robbing Our Kids of Their Future'' is the Theme of the Hard-Hitting Campaign Developed by Inside Out Communications.

Working with long-time client MetroWest Community Health Care Foundation, Massachusetts agency Inside Out Communications (www.iocomm.com) launched a campaign directed to parents in the Greater Boston area, with special attention given to Spanish and Portuguese-speaking audiences. The multimedia awareness effort includes billboards, TV spots, web, print and collateral.

Working with long-time client MetroWest Community Health Care Foundation, Massachusetts agency Inside Out Communications (www.iocomm.com) launched a campaign directed to parents in the Greater Boston area, with special attention given to Spanish and Portuguese-speaking audiences. The multimedia awareness effort includes billboards, TV spots, web, print and collateral.

But we needed and used everybody's support

“We put a lot of serious thought into the strategy and the message,” says agency president Alicia Frick Laguarda, “we are parents ourselves, and we feel the anxiety and worry this issue causes.” Creative director Matt Lynch is art director for the account, and defines this as the type of campaign that makes you proud of what you do. “It was at times wrenching, at times exhilarating; always seriously challenging and definitely worthwhile,” is Lynch’s summary of the intense weeks leading to the launch.

According to Inside Out, three words define the campaign, health, urgent, bold. “It was very important to keep this as a health issue, a matter for medical and health care professional help, as opposed to a matter of looks or fashion,” states Frick Laguarda, adding “in terms of risks, the statistics are jolting and the urgency of it makes boldness the only way to go.” Lynch agrees and mentions the plethora of soft anti-obesity efforts that don’t seem to have made a dent in the problem. “We knew we had to make our audience face the facts; the numbers and the information are all there and we still just keep pretending it doesn’t exist.”

In addition to Lynch and Frick Laguarda, the hands-on team for this campaign included account exec Kate Billigmeier, web director Cristyan Cadena, and web developer Jeff McNeil. “But we needed and used everybody’s support,” says Billigmeier, who besides managing the account was responsible for the media buying.

In business since 1989, Inside Out Communications (www.iocomm.com) handles advertising, public relations and sales support efforts for consumer, manufacturing, technology and non-profit accounts.