Little Red's Big Ideas

Unique Halloween Giveaways Any Dentist Could Love

Park and recreation agencies across the country will be creating boo-tiful haunted houses, trails and hikes this month.  Along with the parties, carnivals and fall festivals you'll be filling goodie bags with tricks and treats.  While I'm no party pooper, I do believe that park and recreation agencies are an important part of every community's health and wellness team.  This being said, instead of filling Halloween bags with sugary treats, consider these unique giveaways to enhance this year's event. 

Silly Bands - They're all the rage AND you can get these popular fashion accessories (boys and girls love them equally) custom packaged in a variety of ways.  Contact andy@advisorsmarketing.com for samples and pricing.

Halloween Shaped Pens, Pencils - I looooove the Bentcil Company for so many reasons.  Not only is there a Bentcil shape for every state, theme, holiday, interest, sport, letter of the alphabet -- you get the idea -- they also give the best customer service of any supplier in the industry.  Check out their Halloween selections at their on-line catalog and when you find something you like -- contact andy@advisorsmarketing.com and he'll rush you out whatever samples you'd like to see.  No charge!

Halloween Bags - Not only can these be used at your event but they can also be used as glow-in-the-dark billboards on Halloween night.  Click here for bundles of bag ideas just waiting for your imprint!

Temporary Tattoos - Whether you choose a stock shape (so many to choose from) or order tattoos customized with your agency's logo -- temporary tattoos are fun and long-lasting (not to mention super inexpensive) making for great conversation pieces all weekend long.

Reflective Stickers - Safety should be one of your primary messages.  Keep little ghouls and goblins safe with these fun, Halloween themed reflective stickers.

Coloring and activity books - A perfect way to keep young children engaged and entertained at your   Halloween event. So many educational and holiday selections. 

Flashlights, Glow Sticks and Buttons - Light up the night with these popular Halloween necessities.  Staff and volunteers will be easy to find if wearing a glow buttons during evening events.  Parents and children alike will appreciate glow-sticks or flashlights, which, when dropped in the bottom of trick or treat will insure that children are easily seen by passing vehicles.  Click here to search flashlights by price point (starting as low as .38)

Click here to see hundreds (it's really thousands -- but I didn't want you to feel overwhelmed) of Halloween ideas and decorations.  But don't wait too long to place your order.  Halloween is only a few weeks away!

What's New in Promotional Products? Silly Bands

From time to time I come across promotional products that are so new and trendy that I just have to tell you about them before they've come and gone.  Some may be pure fads (like the silly bands in this post) while thers emerge alongside of new technology (like the ever-increasing list of customizeable cell phone accessories).  To learn more about any of the items, get a price quote, sample or brainstorm other ideas -- email andy@advisorsmarketing.comor call him (almost) 24/7 at 800-423-8478 (800)IADVISU. 

Popular & trendy silly bands bracelets are available in just about any theme you can imagine.  Whether you need a fun/non-food Halloween treat (Halloween bands glow in the dark!) or traffic builder at an upcoming community event, kids (and kids at heart) will flock to your booth to "get their bands on." The photos depicted show some of the way the bands can be professionally packaged to included your custom message and contact info.  Starting at about 1.25/package -- there's nothing silly about the buzz these bands will create for you and your programs.

Although you can create a custom shaped band, here are some of the shapes available for super-speedy delivery: dental, tooth, land animals, sea life, dinosaurs, fruit, insects, music, transportation/Christmas, Halloween glow, fairyland, fast food, princess, sports, rock band, instruments, music, zoo, tools, dollar sign, breast cancer, bobcat/wildcat mascot, religion, medical, fire dept, football, hockey, animal glow, animal scented and more.  For more information or FREE samples call Andy at 800-IADVISU (800-423-8478).

 

Moving closer to outdoor recreation not a recipe for being more physically active

Study shows BMIs increased in those who chose to move to be closer to outdoor recreation

You'd think that people choosing to live near to outdoor recreation amenities would have a lower body mass index or BMI thanks to an increase in all that healthy outdoor activity right on one's doorstep. Yet a new University of Alberta study looking at the relationship between reasons for choosing a neighbourhood to live in, physical activity and BMI, shows that's simply not the case.

In fact researchers found that those who said they'd moved to be closer to outdoor recreation opportunities actually showed a marked increase in BMI over the six years of a longitudinal study conducted from 2002 to 2008, and led by Tanya Berry of the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation.

"(One of the things we analysed) in this paper was the movers and non-movers," says Berry. "Those who had moved over the six years of the study and had indicated that choosing a neighbourhood for ease of walking was very important to them had a very stable BMI and didn't change much over the six years.

"But the results for the question related to choosing to live near outdoor recreation facilities were completely the opposite from what we would have thought. The more people said they chose their neighbourhood because of its access to outdoor recreation, the higher their BMI. We can speculate that maybe they're doing it for the kids; maybe they're driving to the outdoor places. And we don't know how they defined 'outdoor recreation.' It could be camping and lazing about or it could be cross-country skiing, but we found pretty big differences in their activity output."

Berry and her team conducted two studies, one longitudinal (from 2002 – 2008 with 822 participants) and one cross-sectional (2008 with 1505 participants), to look at the relationship between BMI and neighbourhood walkability, socio-economic status, reasons for choosing their neighbourhood, how physically active they were, fruit and vegetable intake, and demographic variables, such as age, gender, job status and education, which were gleaned from census data.

Berry says the relationship between those who chose to move to a walkable neighbourhood and BMI was clear. "For those people who had moved for ease of walking and thought it was important, their BMIs didn't change and they were able to maintain their weight. But for those for whom it was not important at all, they showed an increase in BMI and that was matched with the cross-sectional data."

Berry says that, as expected, those in lower socio-economic status (SES) neighbourhoods had higher BMIs. "That's completely consistent with the literature. There is so much more access to fast food restaurants; there are fewer grocery stores; it may not very pleasant to be active in your neighbourhood. So there's a whole host of issues (that need to be addressed.)

Socio-economic status is an important factor and we really should be paying more attention to how to help people in lower SES neighbourhoods overcome the barriers they face to health," Berry says.

She concludes, "Those who are choosing neighbourhoods because they can walk are, at least in terms of BMI, the healthiest of all. So this is a very important factor in the built environment/BMI relationship and needs further study."

The study, "A longitudinal and cross-sectional examination of the relationship between reasons for choosing a neighbourhood, physical activity and body mass index" was published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.

Spooktacular October Events

I love October!  Enjoy the cool crisp air and all the ghouls and goblins.  But don't miss the other opportunities to promote yourself, too.  After all, you gotta love a month that celebrates Shelter-Dogs and Baking!

• Antidepressant Death Awareness Month
• Bake and Decorate Month, Natl
• Book Month, Natl
• Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Natl
• Canine Good Health Month, Natl
• Celebrate Sun Dried Tomatoes Month
• Celebrating the Bilingual Child Month
• Celiac Disease Awareness Month
• Children's Magazine Month
• Chili Month, Natl
• Chiropractic Month, Natl
• Church Safety and Security Month
• Class Reunion Month
• Communicate with Your Kid Month, Natl
• Construction Toy Month, Natl
• Crime Prevention Month, Natl
• Dental Hygiene Month, Natl
• Depression Education and Awareness Month, Natl
• Disability Employment Awareness Month, Natl
• Diversity Awareness Month
• Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Natl
• Down Syndrome Month, Natl
• Eat Better, Eat Together Month
• Emotional Wellness Month
• Family Sexuality Education Month, Natl
• "Gain the Inside Advantage" Month, Natl
• Gay and Lesbian History Month
• German-American Heritage Month
• Go Hog Wild--Eat Country Ham Month
• Go on a Field Trip Month, Natl
• Halloween Safety Month
• Health Literacy Month
• Liver Awareness Month, Natl
• Long Term Care Planning Month
• Medical Librarians Month, Natl
• Organize Your Medical Information Month
• Orthodontic Health Month, Natl
• Photographer Appreciation Month
• Physical Therapy Month, Natl
• Polish American Heritage Month
• Popcorn Poppin' Month, Natl
• Positive Attitude Month
• Reading Group Month, Natl
• Rett Syndrome Awareness Month
• Right-Brainers Rule Month
• Roller Skating Month, Natl
• RSV Awareness Month, Natl
• Sarcastics Awareness Month, Natl
• Seafood Month, Natl
• Self-Promotion Month
• Spina Bifida Awareness Month, Natl
• Spinach Lovers Month
• Starman Month, Intl
• Strategic Planning Month, Intl
• Talk about Prescriptions Month
• Vegetarian Month
• Women's Small Business Month
• Work and Family Month, Natl
• Workplace Politics Awareness Month

AdAge names the stars of YouTube

Advertisers looking to connect to today's youth are increasingly looking to viral marketing to create brand loyalty.   In this era of social networking stardom in which everyone seems to be looking for their 15 minutes of fame -- a few diverse personalities have risen above the rest giving traditional children's and teen onair personalities cause to sit up, click on and take notice. 

In an article posted by AdAge.com(Meet YouTube's Most Indemand Stars) readers can get a taste of who and what have grabbed  -- not just millions of views on YouTube -- but tens of millions of hits.  Quirky, creative, outrageous, funny and shocking are words that come to mind after quickly watching a few of these videos stars including Michael Buckley (right) who has been the online pitchman, of sorts, for several family-friendly brands such as Nickolodeon, Te Teen Choice Awards and the Discovery Channel.

What continues to strike me about do-it-yourself broadcasting is that ANYONE can do it for FREE.  Those of you who feel like your continually wrestling with budget issues have no excuse when it comes to marketing your programs.  Children, teens and adults all watch YouTube.  While you might not be the next start attracting bazillions of hits -- WHO CARES?  What you care about is getting people in your target audience to watch and post videos that promote your programs, services and agency.  Anyone with a cell phone can take a video these days. Most can instantly post these videos (photos, too, of course) directly to FaceBook and YouTube with a click and a signal. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Why not video customer testimonials after a successful class, game or event.
• Consider posting videos of coaches talking about their love of the game.
• How about talking to business and community leaders about how important sports, recreation and summer camp have been to their lives.

Do you know of park and recreation agencies who are using YouTube in innovate ways?  Comment below!

The Benefits of Exercising in the Park (aka "Green Exercise)

I came across some fantastic study resultsthat greatly support the ongoing need for outdoor fitness programs, trails and parks. The study, from the University of Essex and conducted by Jo Barton and Jules Pretty followed 1252 participants who were assessed using a variety of factors such as gender, age group, starting health status and type of exercise environment both in and outdoors.

Evidence from the multi-faceted study shows that "green exercise (defined in the study as activity in the presence of nature) leads to positive short and long-term health outcomes, even in short doses.  Further, those who exercise near or around water experience even greater benefits as detailed in this short excerpt:

"Every green environment improved both self-esteem and mood; the presence of water generated greater effects. Both men and women had similar improvements in self-esteem after green exercise, though men showed a difference for mood. Age groups: for self-esteem, the greatest change was in the youngest, with diminishing effects with age; for mood, the least change was in the young and old. The mentally ill had one of the greatest self-esteem improvements. This study confirms that the environment provides an important health service."

Click here to read the entire abstract and citation posted at  please follow this link. 

If you know of other studies that will help support the need and benefits of parks and recreation, please comment below.